‘DISTURBING’

Nurse Faces More Charges After Links to 17 Patient Deaths

Prosecutors say she typically administered lethal doses of insulin during quiet night shifts.

A Pennsylvania nurse previously accused of using insulin to kill two patients in her care was charged with more murders and attempted murders on Thursday. Heather Pressdee, 41, was charged with the first two killings and injuring a third patient in May. Now she faces new counts including two first-degree murders, 17 attempted murders, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person. Prosecutors say the charges relate to the mistreatment of 19 patients at five care facilities over the last three years, in which Pressdee allegedly administered excessive amounts of insulin—including to some people who were not diabetic. She would typically give the dangerous doses on night shifts when staffing was low, authorities say. Prosecutors allege that in total, 17 patients died who’d been cared for by Pressdee. “The allegations against Ms. Pressdee are disturbing,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement.