‘Trust was horribly violated’: Victims speak out after chiropractor admits to recording patients
A Batavia chiropractor accused of secretly recording at least 180 nude or partially clothed patients, including children, pleaded guilty Thursday to child sexual abuse material crimes.
David Hanson, 44, formerly of the 1100 block of Challenge Road in Batavia, admitted to felony charges of producing child sexual abuse material of someone under 13 and disseminating child sexual abuse material of someone under 13.
Victims who are suing Hanson spoke at a news conference afterward, outside the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles.
One woman, who identified herself as Jenna, said she and her minor daughter visited Hanson for three years.
“We placed our trust in Dave Hanson, not only to care for our bodies, but to provide us with the privacy and dignity that we expect and deserve from every medical professional,” she said. “And we now know that trust was horribly violated.”
The Daily Herald is not publishing victims’ full names at their request.
Jenna said no patient should ever be used as “an object to be consumed or a commodity to be shared.”
“No parents should ever bear the burden of watching the face of their child as they explain it (the offense), the gravity, to them,” she said.
Another woman said she now feels anxious and unsafe anytime she visits a doctor, or even goes into a store’s fitting room to try on clothes, wondering if she is being secretly recorded.
Eleven lawsuits have been filed against Hanson on behalf of more than 64 victims since his arrest in November 2025.
Hanson was indicted on 76 counts of child sexual abuse material crimes and unauthorized video recording, according to prosecutors.
The charges allege he recorded people in rooms at his clinic where red light and near-infrared light therapy was performed. The videos were disseminated on Session, SimpleX and Discord messaging apps, authorities said.
Batavia police began investigating in September 2025 after receiving a tip that Hanson had child sexual abuse material. They searched his home, clinic and electronic devices.
Investigators discovered hidden cameras in vents and fans, some of the lawsuits filed by the victims state.
According to the charges, the earliest videos date to 2016, and the latest to the day of his arrest, Nov. 5, 2025.
Elizabeth Fegan, an attorney for some of the victims, said she believes Hanson sold the videos. If they find evidence of that, the plaintiffs may pursue other potential defendants, such as payment processors and banks.
The owners of the building that housed Hanson’s practice already are being sued on the contention that they should have known about the cameras because they had access to the vents.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Grant Dixon praised the work of Kane County prosecutors, but said the pursuit of justice is far from over for his clients. Dixon said he believes there may be hundreds more victims out there.
“I don't think this (the plea) even begins to scratch the surface of what this man actually did,” he added.
Hanson has been a chiropractor in Illinois since 2013, according to state licensing records. His license has been temporarily suspended, pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Hanson will be sentenced Nov. 10. He faces 12 to 60 years in prison unless the judge finds he is eligible for extended-term sentencing. He will also have to register as a sex offender for life.
ssarkauskas@dailyherald.com