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Florida teen accused of posing as a medical doctor walks out of interview

"Just because you saw a season of Grey's Anatomy doesn't mean you could practice medicine," the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.

By Ben Hooper
Authorities said Malachi Love-Robinson, 18, opened a clinic in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he claimed to be a doctor and treated patients. Screenshot: WPBF-TV
Authorities said Malachi Love-Robinson, 18, opened a clinic in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he claimed to be a doctor and treated patients. Screenshot: WPBF-TV

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A Florida 18-year-old accused of posing as a doctor and treating patients at his own clinic walked out of an interview Thursday morning.

West Palm Beach police and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Malachi Love-Robinson, 18, was arrested Tuesday after an investigation conducted alongside the Florida Department of Health culminated in an undercover female investigator being given an examination and medical advice at Love-Robinson's clinic.

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Love-Robinson, who describes himself as a certified naturopathic doctor, opened the New Birth Life Medical Center in January and lists his specialties as including gynecology, psychology and urgent care.

Love-Robinson walked out of a Thursday morning interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" after complaining about the questions he was being asked.

The teenager told interviewer Matt Gutman he has a Ph.D. in a field he declined to identify and said he has been studying under medical doctors for an unspecified amount of time.

"Are you a fraud? Because it seems like everything you're saying to me is evasive or an outright lie," Gutman asked.

"I don't appreciate your tone, I don't appreciate the way you're portraying this interview to actually be," Love-Robinson said.

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Gutman then asked if Love-Robinson was "in big trouble."

"I mean, it seems like you've spoken to lawyer who's prepared you for -- to not only talk to the media, but the police as well," the interviewer said.

"I don't know where you're receiving this information from, but it is inaccurate. Um, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to cut this interview short," Love-Robinson said while removing his earpiece and getting up to leave.

Authorities confirmed Love-Robinson was the same teenager caught allegedly posing as a doctor for a month last year at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach. The hospital said Love-Robinson never came into contact with patients during his time posing as a physician, but at least one doctor at the facility said the teen was in the room during a pregnant woman's examination.

Love-Robinson's mother told police at the time that her son suffered from a medical condition and was not taking his medicine. They decided not to pursue charges at the time.

The Department of Health said Love-Robinson was issued a cease and desist order in October 2015, when he was found to be working as a massage therapist at a Boynton Beach Rehabilitation facility without a active license. The department said the latest investigation began after an anonymous tip about the New Birth Life clinic was received in January.

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"Just because you saw a season of Grey's Anatomy doesn't mean you could practice medicine," the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter.

Love-Robinson was charged with practicing medicine without a license and was released Wednesday morning on $21,000 bail.

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