Statement from Attorney General Michelle Henry regarding western PA nurse charged in deaths of patients: pic.twitter.com/ohN5ah8nFl
— Michelle Henry (@PAAttorneyGen) May 25, 2023
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HARRISBURG – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced charges filed against a western Pennsylvania registered nurse accused of administering lethal doses of unnecessary medication that resulted in the death of two patients and the hospitalization of a third.
Heather Pressdee, 40, of Natrona Heights, was charged Wednesday with two counts of homicide, a count of attempted murder, a count of aggravated assault, three counts of neglect of a care-dependent person, and three counts of reckless endangerment.
The alleged acts happened at Quality Life Services, a skilled nursing facility in Chicora where Pressdee worked as a registered nurse.
Pressdee is charged with homicide regarding the death of a 55-year-old man and an 83-year-old man. The third victim, a 73-year-old man, survived after emergency hospitalization.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with concerns about care their loved one received involving Pressdee is urged to contact the OAG’s tipline at 888-538-8541.
“The allegations in this case outline the callous abuse of incredibly vulnerable patients by a professional nurse,” Attorney General Henry said. “As the charges indicate, these were deliberate and intentional acts perpetrated by a care-giver who was trusted to care for these victims. Be assured, my office will zealously pursue justice for the families of those who were killed, as well as the third victim who is fortunate to have survived.”
Pressdee was taken into custody at her home on Wednesday. She was arraigned on the charges Wednesday night and is being held at Butler County Prison without bail.
Investigators determined that the victims were under Pressdee’s care when they received overdoses of insulin that caused medical emergencies, and in two cases, death.
The two men died on Dec. 4, 2022 and Dec 25, 2022.
The victim who survived was administered a potentially-lethal dose of insulin on Aug. 31, 2022.
Two of the three men were not diabetic.
The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Section and Bureau of Narcotics Investigation.
All charges are accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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 $9,781,180 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2023. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $3,260,392 for FY 2023, is funded by Pennsylvania.
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