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‘Killer nurse’ linked to 17 deaths at healthcare facilities, Pennsylvania lawsuit says
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed after officials say a nurse used insulin to kill multiple patients.
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against a healthcare facility in connection to a nurse officials say used insulin to kill patients.
Heather Pressdee, 40, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, 17 counts of attempted murder and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person, according to a Nov. 2 news release from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
Pressdee is accused of administering excessive amounts of insulin to patients, some of whom were diabetic and some who weren’t, officials said.
At least 17 patients who were cared for by Pressdee died, according to prosecutors.
Several wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against healthcare facilities where Pressdee worked, according to WTAE.
On Wednesday, March 27, a lawsuit was filed in Butler County Court against Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on behalf of Nicholas Sylvester Cymbol.
McClatchy News reached out to Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Pressdee’s attorney for comment March 27 but did not immediately hear back.
The lawsuit said that the nursing facility hired Pressdee in January 2023 “despite her disturbing and alarming history of resident abuse at 10 prior facilities.” It states Pressdee caused injury or death to at least 16 patients at other facilities she worked at.
From October 2018 to December 2022, Pressdee worked at 10 healthcare facilities and was forced to resign or was terminated from each, the lawsuit said.
Some of her coworkers referred to her as “The Killer Nurse,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
From Jan. 2 to May 1, 2023, while working at Sunnyview, six patients under Pressdee’s care died, according to the lawsuit.
In one case, a patient’s son said he discovered his mother “bloody, appeared beaten, and had broken teeth and two black eyes,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit said the injuries occurred while the patient was under Pressdee’s care. However, Pressdee said the patient fell, and the staff never sent the patient to the hospital or launched an investigation, the lawsuit said.
Pressdee continued to care for the patient, and on Jan. 21, 2023, Pressdee injected the patient with insulin. Later that day, the patient died, the lawsuit said.
In March 2023, Pressdee began to care for another patient, who was 104 years old and “in good health,” according to the lawsuit.
Pressdee was heard asking staff “when is she going to die?” and saying the patient “should not still be alive,” the lawsuit said.
On March 20, 2023, Pressdee gave the patient 60 units of fast-acting insulin, although the patient did not have diabetes, the lawsuit said.
The next day, the patient died, according to the court document.
Between March 20 and April 17, three other patients were given insulin by Pressdee and died, according to the lawsuit.
Then, in mid-April, Cymbol, described as a “brittle diabetic,” was being cared for by Pressdee.
“Pressdee routinely insulted, berated, bullied, and abused Mr. Cymbol, just as she had done to other residents,” the lawsuit said.
She would call Cymbol derogatory names and prevent other staff members from giving him food and water, according to officials.
The staff did nothing to keep Pressdee away from Cymbol or protect him, even after Pressdee told other staff members that Cymbol was “going to be the next one to die,” according to the lawsuit.
About 6:30 a.m. on April 30, a nurse reported that Cymbol’s blood sugar level was at 167 mg. However, just 30 minutes later, Pressdee documented his blood sugar level was at 380 mg, the lawsuit said. She then gave him 60 units of insulin and his blood sugar “plummeted.”
Cymbol was taken to a hospital but was later returned to Sunnyview, where he died May 1, the lawsuit said.
Cymbol’s family is suing the facility for negligence and wrongful death after saying the facility failed to protect Cymbol from Pressdee. They are asking for an undetermined amount in damages.
The criminal case against Pressdee is ongoing.
