HARRISBURG – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced dozens of new charges against a western Pennsylvania nurse, who was previously charged with homicide and attempted murder for patients in her care. The nurse allegedly administered lethal doses of insulin to numerous patients at care facilities, beginning in 2020.
Heather Pressdee, 41, was previously charged in May for her mistreatment of three patients. Today, the Office of Attorney General filed charges regarding mistreatment of 19 additional patients at five different care facilities between 2020 and this year.
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. In total, seventeen patients died who had been cared for by Pressdee.
Today, Pressdee was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, 17 counts of attempted murder, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person. She was arraigned on Thursday by the Honorable Maura Palumbi, who is the judge assigned to the charges filed in May. Pressdee also waived her preliminary hearing on these charges and remains in custody at Butler County Prison without bail.
“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,” said Attorney General Henry. “The damage done to the victims and their loved ones cannot be overstated. Every person in a medical or care facility should feel safe and cared for, and my office will work tirelessly to hold the defendant accountable for her crimes and protect care-dependent Pennsylvanians from future harm.”
The alleged crimes happened while Pressdee was employed as a registered nurse at the following 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.
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.
Pressdee is charged with first-degree murder in the cases where physical evidence is available to support the cause of death. Attempted murder is charged in the cases where the victims either survived the excessive dosage of insulin, or the cause of death could not be determined.
Anyone with information about these incidents or Heather Pressdee is asked to contact the Office of Attorney General’s tipline at 888-538-8541.
All charges are accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Section and Bureau of Narcotics Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Baxter, Senior Deputy Attorney General Kee Song, and Deputy Attorney General Peter Caravello.
The Pennsylvania Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $10,632,312 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $ $3,544,100 for FY 2024, is funded by Pennsylvania.
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