A former Pennsylvania nurse who was accused of murdering three patients has been charged with attempting to kill 17 additional patients at five nursing home facilities starting in 2020.
Earlier this year, Heather Pressdee, 41, was charged with giving lethal doses of insulin to three patients, two of whom were not diabetic, at a skilled nursing facility in Chicora, Pa., in 2022. On Nov. 2, she was charged with mistreating an additional 19 patients, according to a Justice Department news release
The new charges are two counts of first-degree murder, 17 counts of attempted murder and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person.
In total, 17 patients she cared for died, though she is only charged with first-degree murder in cases where physical evidence is available to support the cause of death. Attempted murder is charged in cases where the victims survived or the cause of death could not be determined. The victims ranged in age from 43 to 104.
She is charged with mistreatment of 22 patients at the following facilities: Concordia at Rebecca Residence in Allison Park, Pa.; Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation (Guardian) in Lower Burrell, Pa.; Quality Life Services Chicora (Pa.); Premier Armstrong Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Kittanning, Pa.; and Sunnyview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Butler, Pa.