Located in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the world’s largest hospital-based pediatric research program. Formerly called Children’s Hospital Boston, the hospital is also home to the Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program, the first major healthcare program in the U.S. to focus on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents.

Boston Children’s Hospital’s decision to provide gender-affirming care is considered unacceptable by some people including Catherine Leavy, 37, of Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. On August 30, 2022, she called the hospital.

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“There is a bomb on the way to the hospital,” Leavy allegedly said in part. “You better evacuate everybody, you sickos.”

After the call, Boston Children’s Hospital and surrounding area was placed on lockdown status. A bomb squad was dispatched and it was determined that no explosive devices were located at the hospital. 

Investigators traced Leavy’s phone number to a T-Mobile account she owned. On September 15, 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested her without incident at her home in Westfield.

The agents also seized the cell phone Leavy used to call Boston Children’s Hospital. She was detained after making an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein.

On September 16, 2022, Leavy will attended a detention hearing. She was charged with one count of explosive materials – willfully making a false bomb threat.