HARRISBURG, Pa. (EYT) – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Thursday, May 25, charges against a registered nurse accused of administering lethal doses of unnecessary medication, which resulted in the deaths of two patients and the hospitalization of a third.
Heather PressdeeA 40-year-old registered nurse from Natrona Heights, Pa., was charged Wednesday, May 24, with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault, three counts of neglect of a nursing home. dependent and three counts of reckless endangerment.
The alleged incidents happened at Quality Life Services, a skilled nursing facility in Chicora, where Pressdee was employed
According to the inquest, Pressdee’s victims were under his care when they overdosed on insulin, resulting in the deaths of two men. The surviving victim, a 73-year-old man, required emergency hospitalization.
“The allegations in this case describe the cruel abuse of incredibly vulnerable patients by a professional nurse,” said Attorney General Henry. “As the charges allege, these were deliberate and intentional acts perpetrated by a caregiver who was entrusted to care for these victims. Rest assured, my office will zealously seek justice for the families of those who were killed, as well as for the third victim who is lucky to have survived.”
Pressdee was arrested at her residence on Wednesday, May 24 and later arraigned on the charges.
She is currently being held without bond in the Butler County Jail.
The investigation revealed that the victims were given potentially lethal doses of insulin, even though two of them were not diabetic.
The two deaths occurred on December 4, 2022 and December 25, 2022.
The surviving victim received the medication on August 31, 2022.
The Medicaid Office of the Attorney General’s Fraud Control Section and the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation are actively conducting the investigation.
Interested parties are encouraged to contact the OAG tip line at 888-538-8541 if they have information about the care provided by Pressdee.
All charges are allegations. The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Pennsylvania Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $9,781,180 for the federal fiscal year (FY ) 2023. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $3,260,392 for fiscal year 2023, is funded by Pennsylvania.
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