BOSTON — A former Boston Children’s Hospital nurse pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges in Suffolk County Superior Court Monday morning.
33-year-old John Tam of Hopedale is charged with four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years or older and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a patient by a health care provider.
Tam was not being held in custody prior to Monday’s arraignment and walked into the courtroom with his family by his side.
In the courtroom, prosecutors described the alleged graphic details between Tam and a minor patient back in 2022. The patient was receiving chest surgery to ensure his cancer had not returned, according to prosecutors.
“He administered anesthesia to allow him to be unconscious during the surgery, and once the surgery was completed, the patient woke up to find John Tam inappropriately touching his penis,” the prosecutor said. “To which the patient said, ‘don’t touch me down there’.”
In January of 2025, Tam allegedly took a 15-year-old boy to a single-stall bathroom and sexually assaulted him for approximately eight minutes after he told the patient’s mother to go retrieve her vehicle for discharge. The boy was under Tam’s care at Boston Children’s Hospital at the time.
While outside of the courthouse Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said there could be more victims out there.
In addition to Boston Children’s Hospital, Tam has previously worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Center Worcester, and UMass Memorial Medical Center Marlborough.
“Parents or anyone with concern that they or another child may have been assaulted at the hands of John Tam should, if they choose to, contact their local law enforcement or the Children’s Advocacy Center to report any incidents they’re concerned about,” District Attorney Hayden said.
Prosecutors also mentioned a third alleged victim who was an adult patient of Tam’s at UMass Medical Center Marlborough. Tam is facing charges of assault and battery out of Middlesex County for that incident.
Tam was released on personal recognizance on Monday with conditions that no employment be in health care and that there be no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18.
Following his arraignment, Tam was seen crying and hugging his family outside of the courtroom.
He’s due back in court in September for a pre-trial hearing. A trial date has been set for September 2027.
Boston Children’s Hospital has said it is fully cooperating with the investigation and prosecution.
Boston 25 News has reached out to Tam’s attorney, Joseph Cataldo, and is waiting to hear back.
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