In a shocking revelation, a former nurse from Pennsylvania, Heather Pressdee, 41, has confessed to attempting to murder over a dozen patients, according to law enforcement officials.
Pressdee, a resident of Natrona Heights, was arrested in May for the alleged murder of two patients. She has now admitted to attempting to kill 19 more patients by administering lethal doses of insulin at five different nursing homes, as per the complaint filed against her.
"Pressdee is accused of administering excessive amounts of insulin to these patients, some of whom were diabetic and required insulin, some of whom were not. In total, 17 patients died who had been cared for by Pressdee," stated a press release from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.
Pressdee faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder, 17 counts of attempted murder, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person spanning a five-year period. The ages of her alleged victims range from 43 to 104 years.
"[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," investigators noted in the complaint.
Previously a veterinary technician, Pressdee was accustomed to euthanizing animals. She often worked the medication carts at these facilities, administering insulin during the night shift when staffing was at its lowest, according to the police document.
"Pressdee often took steps to ensure her victims would expire prior to shift change so that they wouldn't be sent to the hospital where her scheme could be discovered through medical test," the police reported.
Court papers allege that if Pressdee suspected a patient would survive after receiving a lethal dose of insulin, she would administer a second dose or inject the patient with air to ensure their death.
A search warrant for Pressdee's cellphone revealed a disturbing fascination with murder and death. She allegedly texted her mother about a resident, stating, "I can't with this lady. She's going to get pillow therapy." She also threatened to kill a "man at Taco Bell," a "pizza man," and an "Arbys guy" in separate text messages.
Staff at the Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation raised concerns about a pattern of patient deaths during Pressdee's shifts. However, an internal investigation found no evidence to support these claims, despite five patients dying under Pressdee's direct care within ten months. Pressdee worked at the facility from April 2021 to February 2022.
At Sunnyview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, where Pressdee began working as a manager in January 2023, four patients allegedly died under her care. A nursing assistant told police that Pressdee often said that patients "just needed to die."
In the wake of the criminal investigation, Pressdee's nursing license was suspended in July 2023.
"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 Michelle Henry. "The damage done to the victims and their loved ones cannot be overstated."
Pressdee was arraigned on Thursday and is currently being held without bail at Butler County Prison.
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