Ochsner doctor hid camera in staff bathrooms: JPSO

Ochsner Medical Center towers over trees in Jefferson, La., Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune)

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office investigators have arrested a doctor who is accused of hiding a camera at Ochsner Medical Center to record staffers as they used the restroom at the hospital in Old Jefferson.

Andrew Matthews, 31, of Jefferson, was booked with 10 counts of video voyeurism after he was detained Wednesday morning at the hospital in the 1500 block of Jefferson Highway, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, a Sheriff's Office spokesperson.

Detectives have identified at least 10 individual victims in the "dozens of videos" recorded inside the bathrooms, Rivarde said.

Andrew Matthews

Matthews had been working as a second-year resident at the facility, according to Ocshner.

In a statement released Thursday, Ochsner Regional Medical Director George Loss Jr. said, "We can confirm that a resident trainee has been arrested for allegedly unlawfully installing a recording device in an employee restroom at our Jefferson Highway campus. The individual has been terminated."

An unnamed employee discovered the camera Wednesday morning while using the restroom and reported the device, according to Rivarde.

"While we cannot comment further on the details of an active investigation, we can reassure our community that our security team acted swiftly and conducted a thorough sweep of the campus, including all bathrooms, call rooms, and other private staff and patient areas. No other devices were found," Loss said in his statement.

The hospital contacted the Sheriff's Office about 11:30 a.m., Rivarde said. Security identified Matthews as a possible suspect and turned the camera over to detectives.

The single device appears to have been placed in "staff only" restrooms, which are unisex, according to authorities. The Sheriff's Office did not say how long they believe Matthews had been recording co-workers.

Detectives expect the investigation to continue for several weeks as they review evidence in the case, according to Rivarde. No other information was available.

"The safety of our patients, visitors and employees is our highest priority. Ochsner Health does not and will not tolerate violations of privacy or illegal activity of any kind," Loss said.

Matthews was being held without bail Thursday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna.

Editor's note: This story was changed Aug. 3 to correct Matthews' age.

Email Michelle Hunter at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter, @MichelleHunter.