A
pediatrician was sentenced in Argentina, this Wednesday, November 6, to 10
years in prison for producing, having and facilitating the distribution of
images of child sexual exploitation.
Media in
that country report that he also received "perpetual
disqualification" to practice medicine. Judge Gonzalo Rúa said that
"he took advantage of the asymmetric relationship between doctor and
patient".
ClarÃn
writes: In the sentence, which was handed down by Judge Gonzalo Rúa, head of
the Criminal, Contravention and Failure Court No. 6 of the City, in a room that
was filled, the magistrate said that "it has been proven" that Russo
"I had 999 files of abuse and sexual exploitation".
Judge:
You have also produced photographic material for clearly sexual purposes, and
it is not about scientific purposes or teaching or for a congress, as you
invoked.
He
added: "There are many victims, even if you are not the direct culprit.
But you are responsible for not protecting the privacy of the child".
"I
have also concluded, after collating with experts, that you have also produced
photographic material for clearly sexual purposes, and it is not about
scientific purposes or teaching or for a congress, as you invoked. I am
referring to photographs taken by you at the Garrahan on November 24, 2015 and
August 30, 2018, and other images in another office", added the judge, who
read the arguments before announcing the conviction.
The
Argentine press said the pediatrician is 56 years old.
Ricardo
Russo worked at the Garrahan Hospital and had a life that - from the outside -
many could consider "perfect", with an established family, trips
abroad, and professional recognition, the ClarÃn portal published.
His full
name is Ricardo Alberto Guillermo Russo. "He is 56 years old, married and
has two children. He lives in a house in the River neighborhood, in Núñez,
where he spent the home prison monitored with an electronic ankle brace".
In that
medium they point out that Russo was born in La Plata. He graduated in medicine
at the University of that city in 1985 and trained in pediatrics at the
Children's Hospital Platense. From 1986 he continued training abroad: he worked
in the hospitals of the Universities of Texas and Dallas (United States) and
Toronto (Canada).
Upon
returning to the country, he entered the Garrahan. His history within the
Hospital was extensive: he worked there for 26 years. He entered as a pediatric
rheumatologist in 1993. And, since 2008, he was the head of the Immunology and
Rheumatology sector.
After
his arrest, in May of this year, he was removed from office.
Within
the children's hospital he established the Pediatric Rheumatology program.
"Since then, he has been training young specialists, leading or collaborating
in international, multicentre research projects and in efforts to develop
guidelines for childhood arthritis and related diseases", reads his
LinkedIn profile.
He is
associate editor of the Journal of Rheumatology and reviewer of several
international journals. Only on the Research Gate portal has more than 150
published works, which were read by more than 18 thousand people, ClarÃn adds
on his website.
Garrahan
Hospital says that, the day the case was known, "our pediatric team
suffered a tsunami, a catastrophe, something totally unexpected".
"No
one could suspect that behind this eminence hid this personality of sexual
predator that caused us shock, shame, indignation and much pain", said the
lawyer in the allegations of initiation. And it went further: "We are in
the presence of a species Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde".
In his
social networks, Russo used to post photos of his travels. Among the last
destinations he visited, some for pleasure and others for medical congresses,
are Chicago (United States), Porto Gallinas (Brazil) and Perugia (Italy). Also
many in Russia, during the World Cup last year, with the Argentina shirt and
inside the stadium.
SOURCE: Panorama
