Pennsylvania nurse who gave patients lethal or possibly lethal insulin doses gets life in prison

A Pennsylvania caregiver who administered lethal oregon perchance lethal doses of insulin to galore patients has pleaded blameworthy to 3 counts of execution and different charges and been sentenced to beingness successful prison

A Pennsylvania caregiver who administered lethal oregon perchance lethal doses of insulin to galore patients pleaded blameworthy to 3 counts of execution and different charges Thursday and was sentenced to beingness successful prison.

Heather Pressdee, 41, was fixed 3 consecutive beingness sentences and different consecutive word of 380-760 years down bars during a proceeding successful Butler, astir 30 miles (48 kilometers) northbound of Pittsburgh. She played a relation successful the deaths of astatine slightest 17 patients who lived successful 5 wellness facilities successful 4 counties betwixt 2020 and 2023, prosecutors said.

The victims ranged successful property from 43 to 104. Coworkers often questioned Pressdee's behaviour and said she often showed disdain for her patients and made derogatory comments astir them, authorities said.

Pressdee pleaded blameworthy to 3 counts of first-degree execution and 19 counts of attempted murder. She initially was charged successful May 2023 with sidesplitting 2 nursing location patients and injuring a third,. Further probe led to dozens of much charges against her. During a February proceeding successful which she argued with her attorneys, she indicated that she wanted to plead guilty.

The plea proceeding was expected to past done Friday due to the fact that respective radical wanted to springiness unfortunate interaction statements, officials said.

Prosecutors alleged that Pressdee, of Harrison, gave excessive amounts of insulin to patients, immoderate diabetic and immoderate not. She typically administered the insulin during overnight shifts, erstwhile staffing was debased and the emergencies wouldn't punctual contiguous hospitalization.

Her nursing licence was suspended aboriginal past year, not agelong aft the archetypal charges were filed.

According to tribunal documents, Pressdee sent her parent texts betwixt April 2022 and May 2023 successful which she discussed her unhappiness with assorted patients and colleagues, and spoke astir perchance harming them. She besides voiced akin complaints astir radical she encountered astatine restaurants and different places.

Pressdee had a past of being “disciplined for abusive behaviour towards patients and/or unit astatine each installation resulting successful her resigning oregon being terminated,” prosecutors said successful tribunal documents. Beginning successful 2018, Pressdee held a fig of jobs astatine occidental Pennsylvania nursing homes and facilities for abbreviated periods, according to the documents.