Registered Nurse Charged With Murder of Aged-Care Patients
A registered nurse, 46 years of age, has been charged with the murder of two elderly women at an aged care facility in New South Wales. She will face the court on June 9.
The woman has been charged with two murders and one case of an assault after she allegedly killed the two aged patients with overdose of insulin. She was charged on June 8, in Sydney, after being pulled out from Victoria, for the deaths of Marie Darragh, 82 years old, and Isobella Spencer, 77 years old, in May.
A police spokeswomen, on June 8, said, "She's been charged with two counts of murder and one count of common assault."
The nurse's attempt at receiving bail failed and she will be spending the night in custody until her appearance before the Central Local Court in Sydney on June 9.
Marie Darragh and Isobella Spencer were found to be unconscious at the St. Andrews Village Aged Care facility at Ballina, after which they died. There was a very short time between the time that they were found unconscious and the time when they were found dead. This incident took place in May.
It has been claimed by the police that an unnamed woman, 88 years old, was also woken up by the nurse for 'unscheduled medication' during the night time. The police also mentioned that all the three victims had made complaints about the nurse. After the deaths of Marie and Isobella, the nurse was on off after which she resigned and fled to Victoria, said Detective Mick Willing, homicide squad boss.
The Melbourne Magistrates Courts had heard that she was on medication for severe depression and this was her first time in police custody.
CEO of St. Andrews Aged Care, Pip Carter, said, "I want to reassure residents and the community that the safety and care of St Andrews' residents always has been and always will be a priority." She was devastated with the news.