Imminent Danger is an investigative podcast series from the WNYC newsroom and NYC NOW podcast. It begins with the story of Amy Lam and the birth of her second child. The baby survived. Amy did not. When her family sued, they made a concerning discovery about one of the doctors who treated her.

CONTENT WARNING: This story is a difficult one. It deals with detailed accounts of medical injury, loss and grief.

In 2016, Amy Lam was at an exciting time in her life. She’d recently graduated from Columbia journalism school and was expecting her second child. But then tragedy struck. Shortly after giving birth at home, she was brought to Harlem Hospital where medical records show she bled to death under the care of several physicians.

One of those doctors was Dr. Thomas J. Byrne, an OB-GYN with a concerning track record that spans more than three decades. In 1990, New York health officials declared Byrne an “imminent danger” to the public and stripped him of his medical license.

And yet, Byrne is still seeing patients today. How does a doctor with a documented track record of medical negligence continue practicing for so long? Reporter Karen Shakerdge, along with WNYC’s investigative editor Christopher Werth, examine who’s responsible for ensuring patient safety.

This series is supported by the Pulitzer Center.

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NYC NOW is a podcast of the most up-to-date local news from across New York City and the region. With three updates a day, every weekday, you'll get breaking news, top headlines and in-depth reporting. It’s all the news you need to know right now to make New York work for you.

Illustration by Golden Cosmos.
Video by Kim Nowacki.