Pediatrician charged with sexually abusing dozens of children, including a 2-week-old infant

Joel Shannon | USA TODAY

A Pennsylvania pediatrician has been charged with sexually abusing 30 children over the course of decades.

Dr. Johnnie Barto, 70, was first charged this spring with abusing a 12-year-old patient. On Monday, the state's attorney general announced charges connected with 29 more child victims.

The victims included both boys and girls, a release says. One victim was 2 weeks old when the alleged abuse occurred.

Most of the assaults occurred in an examination room at a pediatric practice in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, the release says. The alleged abuse occurred between the 1980s and January of this year.

Barto would sometimes wait for parents to leave the room before abusing his victims, the release says. He also allegedly abused children with their parents in the room, shielding the parent's view with his body.

He at times claimed the abuse was medical in nature, the release says. Some female victims were allegedly sexually abused as they sought treatment for the flu or a migraine headache.

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“Every parent sends their child to a pediatrician to make sure they are healthy and getting the care they need,” the release quotes state Attorney General Josh Shapiro as saying.

“Barto used his position of authority as a pediatrician ... and abused it to feed his own, sick sexual desires.”

Charges against Barto include involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault. His bail was set at $1 million on Monday, according to court records.

Contributing: The Associated Press