True Crime Society – Medical Murders

In response to the Nationwide Library of Medication, it’s estimated that a mean of 35 Individuals are killed by healthcare staff per yr.  The true numbers are seemingly larger, on condition that these crimes are sometimes missed for years. Most convicted of healthcare serial murders are charged with fewer murders than they admit to.

We’ve got an earlier podcast episode on British nurse Lucy Letby who has been convicted of murdering seven infants and making an attempt the homicide of seven others between June 2015 and June 2016.

THE HEATHER PRESSDEE CASE

Heather Pressdee was a Pennsylvania nurse and he or she has been convicted of murdering three of her sufferers and has been related to the deaths of 17 extra.

We’ll begin with background into Heather.  She was born Heather Irene Pressdee on August 28, 1982.  

From 2003 to 2004, she attended the Group Faculty of Allegheny County, though she didn’t graduate.  Articles report that after this, Heather labored as a vet tech for round 14 years. She labored primarily on the Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Middle. She informed police that she offered crucial care to animals, together with anesthesia, and he or she additionally practiced euthanasia.

Heather went again to high school between 2018 and 2018 and graduated with an affiliate’s diploma in nursing.  

Between July 2018, when her nursing license was issued, and 2023, when she was arrested, she labored at 12 completely different nursing services after she both resigned from them or was terminated.

A lot of this info comes from the prison complaints within the case – they’re linked within the weblog.  Heather was investigated for “abusive conduct.”   At Embody Well being Rehabilitation of Harmarville, the place she labored from Oct. 1, 2018, by means of April 21, 2019, she was disciplined for administering insulin exterior of a doctor’s orders.

Investigators mentioned her worker file famous that she was reprimanded on Dec. 7, 2018, after an insulin error. A corrective motion plan dictated she meet with supervisors to evaluate insulin protocols. A supervisor at Embody informed investigators she was involved Heather was harming residents and “took actions internally.” It’s not clear what these actions had been.

A minimum of twice,  Heather made up the names of previous colleagues to make use of a reference when getting one other job, following her terminations/resignations.  She additionally offered a cellphone quantity that belonged to a relative.  That relative would later affirm to police that they went together with Heather’s story and acted as a reference for her.  

The Lawyer Normal’s Workplace was made conscious of Heather’s crimes after they obtained a referral in late 2022.   This was relating to a affected person that had been underneath Heather’s care.  

An investigation revealed that Heather’s spree started in 2020.  She has been mentioned to have administered “deadly and probably deadly doses of insulin” to at the very least 22 sufferers at services in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties, prosecutors mentioned. Seventeen of the sufferers “died very quickly” or “someday later” after receiving the insulin doses, based on Lawyer Normal Michelle Henry’s workplace.

She sometimes administered the insulin throughout in a single day shifts, when staffing was low and the emergencies wouldn’t draw speedy consideration.  

Her victims ranged in age from 43 to 104.  

Police would later search Heather’s cellphone and so they discovered almost 20 textual content messages to her mom involving threats of violence towards aides, nurses, facility residents, and fast-food staff.

“Can I kill this man at Taco Bell,” one alleged textual content from April 6, 2022, learn.

“I’m gonna homicide already,” one other one learn, dated June 10, 2022.

Different textual content messages mentioned her sufferers and colleagues.

In a Sept. 2, 2022, textual content message, Heather allegedly informed her mom that she was “gonna homicide my aides.” In a message a number of days later, she complained a couple of affected person who was yelling, based on the affidavit.

“I drugged him already and I don’t know the way he’s awake,” the message learn.

On Could 12, 2023, Heather complained to her mom {that a} affected person was “driving me nuts” as a result of he was following her round.

“However I’ll kill this resident,” the textual content message learn. “I must set some type of boundary with him.”

The primary two victims she was charged with murdering had been 55-year-old James Bartoe and 83-year-old Joseph Campbell, each of whom had died on December 4 and 25, 2022, respectively.

Her third sufferer was 43-year-old Nicholas Cymbol, who died on Could 1, 2023.

Heather ended up pleading responsible to each keep away from a trial and to take the loss of life penalty off the desk.  She pleaded responsible to 3 costs of first-degree homicide and three counts of tried homicide.  When one in every of her attorneys requested her why she was pleading responsible, Heather replied, “As a result of I’m responsible.”

Households of among the victims filed wrongful loss of life lawsuits.

The household of Nicholas Cymbol mentioned that Heather “routinely insulted, berated, bullied and abused” him at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Middle in Butler.

They described Nicholas as a “brittle diabetic” who had an anoxic mind harm, blindness and neuropathy. The go well with alleged that Heather would stop different nurses from feeding or giving him water and would use derogatory phrases in reference to his mind harm.

Heather was additionally accused of claiming one other affected person, recognized solely as J.B. in a prison criticism, could be “higher off useless.” That affected person, who was a nonverbal at High quality Life Providers, was hospitalized twice in 2022 for low blood sugar earlier than he died on Dec. 4, 2022.

In Could 2024, Heather was sentenced to  three consecutive life sentences for the murders. She was additionally ordered to subsequently serve one other 380 to 760 years in jail for the tried murders.

Heather’s attorneys Phil DiLucente and James DePasquale mentioned that the aim for his or her consumer was to keep away from the loss of life penalty.  “This was very onerous to perform with this many deaths and tried homicide costs that both resulted in loss of life or impairment,” Phil DiLucente informed USA TODAY.  He additionally mentioned that Heather “wished to admit and wished to indicate contrition” relating to her crimes.

“Right now is a really emotional day,” the legal professional mentioned. “There’s an amazing quantity of unhappy tales that got by the victims’ members of the family … and Mrs. Pressdee did shed a tear a number of instances, in addition to apologize on the very finish in entrance of an open courtroom.”

The legal professional additionally mentioned that Heather “really believed” that “she was serving to” her sufferers.  This stemmed from her earlier employment as a vet tech, the place she euthanized animals.  

In response to the Each day Beast, Heather informed investigators that one in every of her feminine victims “checked out her like an animal would.” One man “had no high quality of life,” she mentioned, and he or she “felt unhealthy” for an additional. One “wanted to die.”

Heather believed she was ending the struggling of lots of people by doing what she did, however now “she is aware of that that’s not the case and he or she apologized for her actions,” Phil DiLucente mentioned.

Elizabeth Simons Ozella – whose mom, Irene Simons, was one of many lethal overdose victims – mentioned she would “by no means forgive Heather for what she did. She took somebody from this earth that she had no proper to take, and he or she performed God when she didn’t have that proper.”

The Lawyer Normal’s Workplace additionally made an announcement following the sentencing.  

“The defendant used her place of belief as a way to poison sufferers who trusted her for care. This plea and life sentence won’t carry again the lives misplaced, however it would guarantee Heather Pressdee by no means has one other alternative to inflict additional hurt. I supply my honest sympathy to all who’ve suffered at this defendant’s fingers.”

THE MEGAN HAINES CASE

Nurse Megan Haines murdered two aged sufferers in Ballina, Australia by injecting them with insulin.  Her victims died in Could 2014 – they had been Marie Darragh (82) and Isabella Spencer (77).

Megan was born in South Africa in September 1967.  This details about Megan’s upbringing is from authorities paperwork in regards to the case: She was born and raised in South Africa throughout the apartheid regime. Her mom was white and her father was of Indian background. Her father was violent and, based on the offender, sexually abused her mom and one in every of her sisters. When the offender was 6 years outdated, her dad and mom separated and he or she and her two sisters went to dwell together with her mom. The offender has had little contact together with her father since.

The offender remembers some difficulties rising up in South Africa as a result of her mixed-race look. She remembers that her mom rejected her in favour of her two sisters as a result of they had been white, whereas the offender was not. The offender remembers issue making pals at highschool as a result of different college students “didn’t perceive folks of blended race”.

She skilled and practised as a nurse there earlier than shifting to Australia in December 2000.  She turned a registered nurse right here in 2001.  Megan has mentioned that she moved to Australia as a result of excessive crime fee in South Africa and lack of versatile working preparations.

Complaints had been made towards Megan whereas she was working at a hospital in Victoria in December 2005.  The complaints had been investigated and he or she was discovered responsible {of professional} misconduct  in Could 2007. One other criticism was made after Megan threatened to entry affected person info.  She was additionally investigated for minor assault, mentioned to be slapping or pushing a affected person.  She was reprimanded on the time. Megan has mentioned that in this time she was getting little sleep as she was a single mom.  She mentioned that she was experiencing loneliness and that she had plenty of one-night stands.  She remembers consuming closely in her 30s earlier than, throughout and after work “simply to get by means of the day”.

In July 2007 and into 2008, additional complaints had been made towards Megan.  Her nursing registration was suspended pending an investigation.  

In response to the Sydney Morning Herald, two sufferers at a facility in Caulfield, Victoria got pointless insulin.  After the ladies had been drugged, their jewelry had been stolen.  Megan was the one nurse on responsibility on each events.  

“[It’s] a reasonably well-off space,” a former colleague of Megan’s mentioned in an interview with Fairfax Media.

“So, many of the sufferers simply had these lovely outdated diamond rings and issues.

“And so they got insulin proper on the finish of the shift in order that they wouldn’t be roused by the following individual rostered on and discover it lacking.”

One of many girls concerned had a safety guard posted exterior of her room as a result of she was terrified that it may occur once more. 

“This poor affected person, they didn’t know what had occurred, in order that they put a guard exterior her door till it was labored out,” the previous colleague mentioned.

“Everybody was a suspect at that time.”

As Megan was the nurse on cost, her dwelling was searched.  They didn’t discover any jewelery, however did discover marijuana.  This meant she was charged with drug possession.  

The investigation was ongoing till December 2011 when she was once more discovered responsible {of professional} misconduct.  She was reprimanded once more and was ordered to provide passable employer stories each three months to regulatory authorities.  In the course of the time that the investigation took, Megan didn’t search renewal of her nursing registration and he or she turned unregistered.

In February 2012, she efficiently utilized for re-registration.  In April 2013, the situations of her registration had been amended and he or she solely needed to provide employer stories each six months.  

Megan had three kids through the years – the entire kids had completely different fathers.  

Megan gained employment in Ballina, New South Wales in 2014.  She labored on the St Andrew’s Aged Care Facility.  She labored initially on probation and was supervised throughout shifts.  She was then provided the prospect to work the night time shift, which meant she would work from 10.15pm-6.30am.

By way of safety, the power gave the impression to be nicely geared up.  After 5pm, you could possibly not get in until you had a swipe card or a nurse buzzed you in electronically.  Every workers member had a personalised swipe card which gave them entry to needed sections of the power.  

That is details about the arrange of the power, from the caselaw paperwork – accessible on the weblog.

Within the Boronia ward, which accommodated excessive care residents affected by dementia, there was one care service worker on responsibility. Within the Dianella ward, which catered for residents with excessive care wants, there was one care service worker on responsibility. Accountable for the night time shift was a registered nurse, who was for many of the night time shift stationed within the Dianella ward. Nevertheless, the registered nurse was answerable for the entire residents within the complicated. Care service staff weren’t authorised to manage, nor had been they answerable for, the administration of treatment in both the Boronia or Dianella wards. Within the hostel space they might administer some routine prescription medicines.

Earlier than we get into the occasions of 10 Could, 2014, we provides you with some details about the 2 victims.

Isabella Spencer was born in November 1936.  She was 77 on the time of her loss of life. Isabella had moved to St Andrews after she suffered a stroke in December 2013.  The stroke left her paralysed on the left-hand aspect.  Isabella was primarily bed-bound and required workers help to maneuver round.  She was cognitively intact.   She was not insulin dependent.  Isabella resided in Room 4 within the Dianella 1 ward.  

Marie Darragh was born in September 1931 and was 82 when she died.  She moved to St Andrews in February 2011 as she had plenty of well being points.  She too resided within the Dianella 1 ward.  She was additionally cognitively intact and was not insulin dependent.  

On the night time of Could 9, 2014, Megan was the one workers member who had a swipe card with entry to the treatment rooms within the Dianella and Boronia wards.  

At 11.15pm that night time, the Director of Care, Wendy Turner, got here to satisfy with Megan.  Megan was informed that she had been complained about by three residents of the care facility.  Wendy informed Megan about two of the residents by identify – Isabella and one other feminine, Marjorie Patterson.  Megan was informed that she needed to attend a gathering on Could 13, 2014 with reference to those complaints.  Megan was given paperwork in regards to the complaints and was additionally informed that they might lead to disciplinary motion.  Megan was informed to not method both Marie or Marjorie and he or she was to not enter their rooms to supply remedy, until she was accompanied by one other worker.  

Marie’s criticism was relating to a request that she had made for some treatment to deal with a genital itch.  

“She mentioned ‘I wanted some cream utilized to my fanny … and I requested her to use some cream to which Megan mentioned cowl your self up you look disgusting, switched the sunshine off and left’.

Wendy Turner would converse later in regards to the complaints.  She mentioned one other affected person reported being dealt with “roughly” by Megan

Isabella reported that Megan had refused to take her to the toilet and informed her to “piss in her pad” as an alternative.

Courtroom paperwork point out that Isabella was not named because the complainant that night time by Wendy.  It’s believed that Megan assumed that Isabella made the criticism.  

After the assembly concluded, Megan was left alone within the Dianella ward for 2 separate one hour intervals – between midnight and 1am, and once more between 4am – 5am.  This occurred because the care service worker rostered within the ward would transfer to a different ward to help with the rounds.  

It’s believed that Megan entered the treatment room throughout the precedent days and drew up two injections of insulin.  It’s thought that she then injected each Isabella and Marie.  

Plainly sufferers had been checked throughout rounds based mostly on their wants.   Marie was not ordinarily checked, nevertheless Isabella was.  Megan was the worker to test Isabella that night time and he or she informed her colleague that no consideration was wanted.

Marjorie Patterson would later inform authorities that she had woken up on the night time of Could 9 to Megan giving her paracetamol, which had by no means occurred earlier than.  

In the course of the subsequent spherical of checks, Megan informed her colleague that Isabella was ‘okay.’ This was between 4-5am. 

Megan completed her night time shift at round 6.30am on 10 Could 2014.  She didn’t report something out of the abnormal throughout her handover.  

At 6.50am, workers went into Marie’s room to wake her.  She was unconscious and it was obvious that she was in a deep coma.  She died at 11.30am on Could 10.

At 7.30am, workers went to wake Isabella for breakfast.  She was additionally unconscious and he or she died at round 11.50am that day.  

Each girls, having been injected with important portions of insulin in circumstances the place neither was insulin dependent, had fallen right into a hypoglycaemic coma. Hypoglycaemia, if it’s not reversed and if it stays for a interval of some hours, results in irreversible mind harm and loss of life.

It looks like police investigated the case fairly rapidly.  On Could 15, 2014, Megan’s residence was searched by authorities.  She had not labored for the reason that night time shift when the ladies handed and he or she had not been knowledgeable of their deaths.  Whereas her dwelling was being searched, Megan was informed that it was as a result of police had been investigating the sudden and suspicious deaths of Isabella and Marie.  She was not informed the reason for the deaths.  

Megan known as a good friend on the morning of Could 15, and informed them that the ladies had died as a result of they got the unsuitable treatment.  

Megan resigned from the power a number of days after the ladies died.  

In the course of the investigation into this case, a former companion of Megan’s got here ahead.  He mentioned that they’d been watching a CSI-style present in 2009 and that Megan scoffed on the plot.  She mentioned that she knew learn how to kill somebody and by no means get caught.  

“It’s simple,” she mentioned. “Inject them with insulin as a result of the physique continues to metabolise insulin so it seems like pure causes.”

In the course of the investigation it additionally emerged that Megan had no contact together with her two youngest kids.  She mentioned she maintained an excellent relationship together with her eldest youngster.  In 2016, the youngsters had been aged 25, 14 and 6.  

There aren’t any information of Megan being identified with any psychological well being situations.  She informed police that in 2016 she was ‘not feeling something’ and that she was usually wholesome. 

In the course of the investigation, Megan didn’t tender a report from a psychologist or psychiatrist about any elements that will have led to her committing these crimes.

Megan was arrested in July 2014 and charged over the nursing dwelling murders.

Whereas she was detained, a relative visited Megan in jail.  Megan informed her to take away some jewelery from behind an influence level/electrical outlet  in her dwelling

Megan was 49 when she was given a most sentence of 36 years following a 2.5 week trial in 2016.  

“I’m shocked and completely appalled she received her nursing registration again,” Marie’s daughter Charli mentioned.

“I can’t fathom it. I’m misplaced for phrases.”

Justice Peter Garling mentioned Haines abused her place of belief.

“Her conduct was deliberate and calculating. It was a gross breach of belief and a flagrant abuse of her energy,” he mentioned.

“She clearly abused that place of belief. I contemplate this to be a big aggravating issue.

Megan can be eligible for parole in 2041.  She can be 73 years outdated.  

SOURCE LIST

https://www.nbcnews.com/information/us-news/pennsylvania-nurse-pleads-guilty-killing-patients-lethal-doses-insulin-rcna150366

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/might/03/nurse-convicted-killings-heather-pressdee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Pressdee

https://www.medpagetoday.com/nursing/nursing/107189