District: Fake doctor performed student physicals

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia parent says she's livid that a fake doctor gave physicals to her children in a city school back in June.

FOX 29 News has learned her kids are not alone. Jeff Cole reports the district learned of the problem in December, and now the city's district attorney, inspector general and state officials are taking a hard look.

It was at George Washington High School in the Northeast on June 1 and 2 when "Dr. V. Renita Bey" performed physicals at $20 a pop for city high school student athletes, paid for by their parents.

She listed an M.D. license number. But there's one big problem - it's bogus, and she's a fake!

Pennsylvania Department of State's spokeswoman told us they "found no licensee by that name" or that given license number in their database.

A local mother, who asked that we not show her face and change her voice, learned of the problems from her kids.

"They alerted me that they heard that the physicals were done by a phony doctor. They had to be - the physicals were no good," the mother told us.

According a source with knowledge of the incident, Bey, the fake doctor, examined kids in several schools in the city.

A spokesman said the School District of Philadelphia was alerted to the fraud by one of the impacted schools.

"How did a fake doctor get inside a Philadelphia public school and do physicals?" Cole asked.

"We work with many members of our school community and others in order to make sure students get physicals. Once we found out about this we acted immediately," said Lee Whack, the school district spokesman.

The district says it sent letters to parents and set up new, free physicals.

There was no answer Thursday night at the Arch Street, Philadelphia, home that Bey listed on the physical evaluation forms.

FOX 29 has confirmed the District Attorney's office has been alerted for possible criminal violations. This parent remains outraged.

"How does something like that happen with all the red tape and everything to get approved? How does that happen?" the mother asked.

That is a question the district appears to be trying to answer along with concerns that the fake doctor, Bey, has a troubled past.

The district says it has taken steps to keep this from happening again, but tough questions remain.

"Are you comfortable that this woman didn't touch a student in an inappropriate way?" Cole asked.

"Again, there's an open investigation. I'm going to have no additional comments on that," Whack answered.