A western Pennsylvania nurse who was previously charged with homicide, accused of intentionally overdosing her patients with insulin, is facing new charges.
Attorney General Michelle Henry said Thursday that 41-year-old Heather Pressdee was charged with two new counts of first-degree murder, 17 new counts of attempted murder, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person.
Pressdee is accused of administering excessive amounts of insulin to these patients, some of whom were diabetic and required insulin, and some of whom were not. The AG said 17 patients who had been cared for by Pressdee died.
Pressdee’s attorneys, Phil DiLucente and James DePasquale, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 they were both with her as she was arraigned on the newest charges.
“We have been in communication with our client and the substantial amount of charges that were brought were not a surprise to anyone involved,” DiLucente said.
DePasquale said, “Secondly, what our goal has been from the beginning of this case has been to avoid the possibility of the death penalty. And thirdly, I think we are very, very close to accomplishing that.”
“We’ve made the client cooperative with the investigators and with the prosecutors, and we have been cooperative with the investigators and the prosecutors,” DePasquale said.
“Within the next 90 days, there will be more we can comment on how this case is going to proceed. But it’s a substantial number of people, and it’s a very serious case. Probably one of the most cases I’ve experienced in my career,” DiLucente said.
“I know it sounds trite,” DePasquale said, “But the client is very remorseful.”
Attorney Rob Peirce represents three victim families pursuing lawsuits against an employer of Pressdee.
“The families asked us to pursue these civil claims as a way of making sure employers change the way they do background checks, change the way they view complaints from staff and other nurses and to take these allegations seriously. Because the family believes if someone would have paid attention early on to some of the staff concerns, multiple people would still be alive today,” Peirce said.
“We’re in the process of speaking with our clients’ family members, but the initial conversations we’ve had with them are sickening. It unfortunately confirms what they believed the entire time,” Peirce said. “One family wanted us to indicate that the charges today are one step closer towards justice and putting nurse Pressdee where she belongs.”
The alleged crimes happened while Pressdee was employed as a registered nurse at five different facilities: Concordia at Rebecca Residence, Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation (Guardian), Quality Life Services Chicora, Premier Armstrong Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and Sunnyview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
The AG alleges Pressdee typically administered the insulin during overnight shifts when staffing was low, and the emergencies would not prompt immediate hospitalization.
The victims ranged in age from 43 to 104.
In total, Pressdee is charged regarding her mistreatment of 22 patients.
“The allegations against Ms. Pressdee are disturbing. It is hard to comprehend how a nurse, trusted to care for her patients, could choose to deliberately and systematically harm them,” Henry said in a statement.
It was back in May that Henry originally announced charges against Pressdee for allegedly killing two patients with lethal doses of insulin and leaving a third injured.
Pressdee was arraigned on the new charges Thursday and remains at the Butler County Prison without bail.
Original Article
SICK!