Missouri Vows to ‘Root Out’ Any Abuse at Youth Transgender Clinic

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks to reporters after taking the oath of office in Jefferson City, Mo., on Jan. 3, 2023. David A. Lieb/AP Photo

The Missouri attorney general promises to “root out any case of child abuse” that may have occurred at a transgender clinic for youths.

In a statement released late on Feb. 17, Attorney General Andrew Bailey also criticized Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital for continuing to prescribe hormones to children amid an investigation.

That decision “calls into question how seriously they’re taking their internal investigation,” Bailey said, as the center also faces state and federal probes.

A spokeswoman for the center did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

Because of the controversy, Missouri has become a focal point in the national debate over transgender medical procedures for young people. While transgender rights activists say youths should be entitled to “gender-affirming care,” other people are concerned about the long-term effects of these procedures.

Lawmakers in many states, including Missouri, are considering banning the procedures for minors.

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The attorney general’s latest remarks come eight days after whistleblower Jamie Reed went public with allegations based on her four years as a case manager at the center. She advocates a nationwide halt to the procedures.

Her first-person account in The Free Press, an independent media outlet, was spread to millions of people on social media. After reading Reed’s story, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said the “sickening” account caused him to open an investigation.

After Reed went public, Bailey released Reed’s affidavit. In that sworn written statement, she makes numerous allegations.

Reed asserts that gender-altering prescriptions were given to children with mental issues, and the medications continued even after children suffered adverse effects and parents revoked consent.

‘No Stone Will Go Unturned’

“If even ten percent of the allegations in the affidavit are true, we’ve got a serious issue,” Bailey wrote in his statement. “I’m proud to be leading a coalition of state agencies and marshaling resources across state government to root out any case of child abuse that occurred within that clinic. No stone will go unturned.”

Bailey said his office began the investigation in late January, after Reed came forward.

Earlier this week, the center declined Bailey’s request to impose a moratorium on the procedures.

In a Feb. 14 letter released to The Epoch Times, Center officials told Bailey: “Like you, we were concerned by the allegations...We are committed to providing lifesaving, evidence-based care that aligns with the standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.”

As chief legal officer for the state of Missouri and a former prosecutor, Bailey said he is “dedicated to using the laws of the state of Missouri to hold wrongdoers accountable and protect children.”

A vial of injectable testosterone. Courtesy of Daisy Strongin

At least two other agencies are involved in the probe.

In addition to concerns about patient care, Reed provided evidence showing “the center has been unlawfully billing state taxpayers to fund these actions,” Bailey said previously.

The Missouri Department of Social Services is aiding in the financial and Medicaid aspect of the investigation, Bailey said.

From 2020 to 2022, the center started medical transitions for more than 600 children, Reed said—74 percent were girls.

Although private insurance paid for most of the procedures, “it is my understanding that the Center also billed the cost for these procedures to state and federal publicly funded insurance programs,” Reed wrote.

The state’s Division of Professional Registration is also investigating the conduct of medical professionals at the center.