Philadelphia doctor, 68, will retire after multiple families sued her, claiming she falsely accused them of abusing their children in chilling echo of Netflix documentary Take Care of Maya

A Philadelphia doctor is retiring at the end of this month after being sued by multiple families over claims she falsely accused them of abusing their children.

Dr. Debra Esernio-Jenssen, 68, worked as a pediatrician within the Lehigh Valley Health Network after joining in 2014.

But nearly 50 plaintiffs, mostly parents and their children, have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging misdiagnoses of child abuse.

Families have alleged that Esernio-Jenssen falsely accused them of abusing their children and regularly misdiagnosed them with the rare Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

This is a psychological condition in which a person mimics or causes an illness in a person in their care, such as their child.

The 68-year-old worked as a pediatrician within the Lehigh Valley Health Network after joining in 2014.

The Lehigh Valley Health Network announced Friday that Esernio-Jenssen “has decided to withdraw from the organization effective March 31, 2024,” according to The morning call.

‘Now Dr. Jenssen retires, this is a critical time for us to embrace change that will improve how the county protects our families and children,” said Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley.

“This is an opportunity to innovate and strengthen our community’s health and safety protocols.”

It comes after Esernio-Jenssen left her position as head of the Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Child Advocacy Center in September.

The Parents’ Medical Rights Group, which was formed in response to the alleged wrongful claims of abuse, welcomed the news of the doctor’s retirement but said it would still work for justice.

“While we welcome the movement to make the community safer, years of widespread harm to children and families is unacceptable,” the report said in a statement.

“PMRG will continue to pursue and support accountability in all areas that contributed to the irreparable harm.

“We encourage everyone in leadership roles to stop being silent and start using your voices, as these children and families did, to protect our community from this widespread harm ever happening again. No more silence.’

A class action lawsuit was filed against Esernio-Jenssen and the Lehigh Valley Health Network, accusing her of separating families and causing reputational damage.

About 30 residents appeared before the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners to speak about their experiences with the doctor.

It’s a chilling echo of the Netflix documentary Take Care of Maya, which details how Maya Kowalski (pictured) was torn from her parents at the age of 10 when the hospital wrongly accused her mother of Munchausen-by-proxy syndrome.

Maya (left) was 10 years old when she was taken from her family after doctors wrongly believed her parents were faking her symptoms. Her mother (center) killed herself due to the stress of the hospital’s decision, a jury found

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, filed for a new trial, but the motion was denied in the same ruling that reduced the amount it must pay to Kowalski and her family

Families protested outside Lehigh Valley Hospital against alleged misdiagnoses of child abuse and demanded Esernio-Jenssen be fired.

Sisters Hazel and Willow Feeney told the story WLNE TV they were removed from their family’s custody in 2021 when they were 11 and 17.

“I was terrified,” Hazel said. While Willow added: “My parents have done their best to provide for me and my sisters my entire life, and there was no way that could ever be true.”

The families accused of child abuse say they were never interviewed by Esernio-Jenssen before the diagnosis of Münchausen syndrome.

“It has affected me mentally, physically and financially,” Stacy Feeney said after she was accused. ‘You’re afraid to go somewhere. To talk to family. There’s nothing to say.’

Willow and Hazel’s father Michael Kwiatkowski called for action against Esernio-Jenssen.

He said: ‘We must ensure that no more families are tortured by her.’

It’s a chilling echo of the Netflix documentary Take Care of Maya, which details how a 10-year-old girl was torn from her parents at the age of 10 when the hospital wrongly accused her mother of Munchausen by proxy syndrome.

Maya Kowalski was imprisoned by medics for months, and in November a jury ruled that the hospital’s actions prompted Maya’s mother to commit suicide in 2017.

But after the family won their bombastic lawsuit against the hospital, Johns Hopkins filed a motion for a new trial, claiming the jury foreman’s wife tainted the trial by sharing “inside information” to social media.

Judge Hunter Carroll rejected that request, but also ruled that Kowalski’s staggering $261 million payout was reduced by $47.5 million.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Lehigh Valley Health Network for comment.