‘Rogue nurse’ allegedly killed 2 patients with lethal insulin doses
A “rogue” male nurse in North Carolina has been charged with murder for allegedly jabbing two patients with lethal doses of insulin at a hospital, prosecutors said.
Johnathan Hayes, 47, a former nurse at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, WFMY reported.
Hayes was accused of administering a near-lethal dose of insulin to Pamela Little, who survived the Dec. 1, 2021, jab.
On Jan. 5, 2022, he administered a lethal dose to Gwen Crawford and on Jan. 22 he also gave a third patient, Vicki Lingerfelt, a lethal dose, authorities alleged.
Both women died on Jan. 27, according to the news outlet.
Police launched an investigation after hospital officials called detectives about the suspect.
“The acts of this one bad actor should not be a reflection on the medical professionals that provide excellent care to this community,” Forsyth County DA Jim O’Neill said, WFMY reported.
Authorities have not disclosed what the patients were being treated for.
Investigators said they don’t believe the deaths were due to medical malpractice, but were unsure of a motive in the crimes, according to the news station.
O’Neill said there may be additional victims.
He described the suspect as a “rogue nurse” and said that “all options are on the table for punishment, as they always are for me and for my office when it comes to ensuring justice of heinous and violent crimes against our most-vulnerable victims,” the Charlotte Observer reported.
Hayes, who has been fired, has had a nursing license since 2000, WFMY said. He reportedly has no prior charges or disciplinary actions.
Hospital spokeswoman Denise Potter told the station that “what is alleged to have taken place certainly does not represent the very high standard of safety and integrity that our dedicated teammates take pride in and display each and every day.
“We have conducted an in-depth analysis to ensure we have done everything possible, so an event like this can never happen again,” she added.
