Jennifer Hall, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault. Ms. Hall was initially arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Fern Franco, 75, and David Wesley Harper, 37, were among nine people who died under “medically suspicious” events at Chillicothe, Mo.-based Hedrick Medical Center — where Ms. Hall worked as a respiratory therapist — in 2002, according to the report.
An autopsy revealed morphine and a succinylcholine, a powerful muscle relaxer, in Ms. Franco’s system. Neither drug had been ordered by her physicians, prosecutors said.
Between December 2001 and May 2002, when Ms. Hall was put on administrative leave, the hospital saw 18 cardiac arrests or “Code Blue” events. Previously, the hospital recorded about one a year.
Before pleading guilty, Ms. Hall had denied any involvement in the patients’ deaths, according to CBS News.
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
