A Western Pennsylvania nurse is facing charges after officials said she intentionally gave overdoses of insulin to patients, leading to the deaths of two people and the hospitalization of another.
Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the charges against 40-year-old Heather Pressdee of Natrona Heights Thursday. Pressdee faces multiple charges, including two counts of homicide, attempted murder, and aggravated assault.
Two of Pressdee's Victims Died, 1 Survived
The alleged incidents occurred at Quality Life Services, a nursing facility in Chicora where Pressdee was employed as a registered nurse.
Pressdee's alleged victims are a 55-year-old man and an 83-year-old man who both died result of the lethal doses and a 73-year-old man who survived after being hospitalized. Officials said all three men were under her care when they received overdoses of insulin.
Two of the three men were not diabetic, officials said. According to a criminal complaint, on different occasions, at least three patients under Pressdee's care were suddenly rushed to the hospital.
Investigators say doctors determined three were seen for hypoglycemia. According to experts, insulin is used to help your body use sugar for energy and its primary effect is to lower blood sugars, but too much can cause blood sugars to drop, resulting in hypoglycemia.
Pressdee Said She Did it to 'Put Them Out of Their Misery'
According to the criminal complaint, Pressdee admitted to injecting the patients with insulin, claiming she felt bad for the patients. As per court documents, Pressdee "stated that she felt bad for their quality of life and she had hoped that they would just slip into a coma and pass away."
She allegedly claimed that the sole survivor, the 73-year-old victim, asked her to kill him. Pressdee's colleague at Quality Life told investigators she had never seen this in more than 30 years of nursing experience, according to the complaint. She also claimed that before one of the victim's death, Preessdee said he would be "better off dead."
Pressdee was Previously Disciplined for Abusive Behaviords Patients
Authorities also highlighted Pressdee's unstable employment history, in documents obtained by Law & Crime. Investigators determined that she had a long history since 2018 of "being disciplined for abusive behavior towards patients and/or staff," resulting in her getting fired or resigning from various facilities.
Quality Life Services Releases Statement
Administrators for Quality Life Services shared the following statement following Pressdee's charges:
"As a family-owned organization that prides itself on providing safe and compassionate care, Quality Life Services is shocked and devastated to learn that the charges brought against Ms. Pressdee by the Attorney General's Office include alleged illegal activity that occurred at our QLS – Chicora facility. We will continue to fully cooperate with the Attorney General's Office as needed in the investigation and prosecution of this matter. We can assure our community, our residents, our families and our staff that all residents of Quality Life Services - Chicora are safe and are receiving appropriate care and services."
Pressdee was taken into custody Wednesday. She is being held without bail at the Butler County Prison.
