Pediatrician accused of hosting nude sleepovers with children found dead in Washington state home

A pediatrician accused of organizing disturbing “naked sleepovers” with children has been found dead in Washington state, just days after police moved to arrest him.

Michael R. Wilmington, 61, was found dead May 2 in Lewis County, near Vancouver, in what police have described as an apparent suicide, shortly after a felony warrant was issued charging him with first-degree child abuse.

The case started with a cyber tip and quickly grew into a multi-agency investigation that rocked communities in the Portland-Vancouver region.

Wilmington’s death is an abrupt turn in what appears to be a widening child abuse investigation that had already led to the arrest of another man.

The investigation was first launched in February 2026 when Vancouver police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children linking child sexual abuse material to an IP address in Vancouver.

Detectives traced that digital trail to Chad Hartley, 36, who was taken into custody on April 29.

Police then executed a search warrant at Hartley’s home, where they say they discovered evidence leading to a host of serious charges.

He was booked into the Clark County Jail on four counts of trafficking in images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, four counts of possession of such material and first-degree child abuse.

Michael R. Wilmington, 61, was a pediatrician at multiple medical institutions in the Portland-Vancouver area before the allegations came to light

Police say Wilmington was accused of hosting “nude sleepovers” with children at his home in La Center, Washington, prompting a child abuse warrant

Wilmington was found dead in Lewis County on May 2, in what authorities described as an apparent suicide, before he could be arrested

Court records later added more serious charges, including first-degree human trafficking.

During the course of that investigation, detectives discovered a connection between Hartley and Wilmington, a pediatrician affiliated with multiple medical facilities in the region.

Police did not detail the nature of that relationship, but said the link led them to Wilmington’s home in La Center, Washington state.

There, investigators say they discovered disturbing evidence.

According to police, Wilmington hosted “naked sleepovers” at his home involving young children.

Authorities served a search warrant on April 30 and seized “numerous pieces of evidence.”

Late last week, on May 1, detectives said they obtained additional information linking Wilmington to the assault of a child at his home, prompting the issuance of a felony arrest warrant.

But before that order could be served, Wilmington was found dead the next day.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is now leading the investigation into the death, which officials are describing as an apparent suicide.

His death has complicated an already disturbing case, leaving investigators to continue to piece together the extent of the alleged abuse and the nature of his connection to Hartley, who was depicted in court documents obtained by KGW.

Chad Hartley, 36, was arrested on April 29 after a cyber tip linked him to child sexual abuse material traced to an IP address in Vancouver

Hartley faces multiple charges, including trafficking and possession of child pornography and first-degree child abuse, and remains in custody

Wilmington had worked at multiple locations in the Portland-Vancouver region, including a role at Kaiser Permanente.

In a statement, Kaiser Permanente said it was notified of the allegations on April 30 and took immediate action.

“We have immediately terminated his employment, his privileges and his access to all facilities and systems. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement officials who notified us of Dr. Wilmington,” the organization said.

“The allegations in this case are serious and our primary concern is for our patients, their families and our staff.”

The healthcare provider added that it has assigned Wilmington’s patients to other doctors to ensure continuity of care and urged anyone in need of support to come forward.

Authorities say the investigation remains active, with both the Vancouver Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office working to identify any additional victims or witnesses.

Police are urging anyone who may know of children who have had unsupervised contact with Hartley or Wilmington to contact their local police.