Dr. Dennis Hughes Pediatric Oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center |
Dr. Dennis Hughes Mug |
In the photos above, at first glance and before the headline, things seem ok. Right? After reading the headline, doesn’t the placement of the girl's hand on the examination table make you cringe? And if what police are saying is true, you should cringe.
Dr. Dennis Hughes, pediatric oncologist with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, has been arrested on child porn charges, according to the FBI.
Police took Hughes into custody last Friday, June 5, and charged with possession of child pornography.
According to investigators, Hughes allegedly admitted to downloading and viewing child porn. Court documents show that on one thumb drive, about 8,200 files were discovered. Police say the majority of those files appear to be child pornography.
M.D. Anderson confirmed the charges against Hughes but said they do not involve patients.
M.D. Anderson sent out the following email to patients:
"Our patients' privacy and safety are first and foremost, which means we are committed to transparency and sharing information. As part of this commitment, we have some concerning news to share with you. Dr. Dennis Hughes, an associate professor of Pediatrics, has been placed on administrative leave for allegations related to the possession of child pornography.
We know this is difficult news to hear and we apologize for any distress caused by this communication. Because this is a very recent development, details are limited at this time. However, based upon the information we have received so far, we have no reason to believe the charges involve any of our patients or other MD Anderson staff.
MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital faculty and staff are actively cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation. We also are conducting our own internal reviews."