Nurse's Disturbing Admission: Charged with Murdering Four Patients and Overmedicating Dozens in Chilling Healthcare Crime Spree
Nov 14, 2023, 02:00 AM
Registered nurse Heather Pressdee has been charged with the murder of four patients and faces additional counts of attempted murder and neglect in connection to the deaths of 17 patients under her care in medical facilities across Western Pennsylvania. Prosecutors allege that Pressdee intentionally administered lethal doses of insulin, causing sudden and unexplained deaths, and have described her actions as "hard to comprehend."
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office revealed that Pressdee, 41, openly expressed a desire for elderly and frail patients to die, and even texted her mother about wanting to administer "pillow therapy" – a disturbing reference to smothering patients with a pillow. Witnesses cited in court records claim she mocked individuals with intellectual disabilities and suggested that a man with a brain injury did not deserve to live.
Pressdee's dark journey unfolded over the last three years as she moved from one medical facility to another. In each location, concerns were raised by colleagues and healthcare professionals about her potentially harmful actions. Authorities now assert that her actions directly resulted in the deaths of at least four patients.
The charges include four counts of murder, 17 counts of attempted murder, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person, all related to Pressdee's alleged dosing of patients with insulin. The charges stem from incidents where there is physical evidence linking her to patients' deaths, while survivors or cases with unclear causes of death result in attempted murder charges.
In interviews with law enforcement officials, Pressdee reportedly admitted to giving nearly two dozen patients excessive doses of insulin because she believed their quality of life was poor and thought they would be better off dead. The shocking revelations have left investigators and legal authorities grappling with the magnitude of the alleged crimes.
Pressdee's legal representation, James DePasquale, stated that she is cooperating with law enforcement and intends to plead guilty. Efforts are underway to secure a plea agreement that avoids the death penalty, though prosecutors have not publicly disclosed their intentions regarding this penalty.
Pressdee's nursing license was suspended after her initial arrest in May, where she faced charges related to the deaths of two patients and the injury of a third. Her career as a registered nurse began in the summer of 2018, after previously working as a veterinary technician.
The disturbing pattern of Pressdee's alleged actions emerged early in her career at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Harmarville. Within two months, she faced reprimand for not following a doctor's insulin dosage orders. Concerns were raised by her supervisor, who later reported taking internal actions due to worries about patient harm. Pressdee left the hospital after six months, and court documents do not specify whether she resigned or was terminated.
Pressdee continued her unsettling behavior at Concordia at Rebecca Residence in 2020, where she dosed an 89-year-old woman, not diabetic, with 120 units of insulin. The patient was on hospice care, and Pressdee later pronounced her dead during her overnight shift. This marked the beginning of a series of deaths and incidents across various medical facilities under Pressdee's watch.
At Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation, where Pressdee served as the assistant director of nursing, four patients died after receiving high doses of insulin. Staff raised concerns, but an internal investigation did not find evidence supporting claims of patient harm. Pressdee's conduct was eventually suspended, and one victim's family is currently suing the facility.
Pressdee's alleged crimes escalated at Quality Life Services Chicora, where she served as the nursing assistant and interim director. Four patients died, and another four experienced low blood sugar events under her care. Text messages obtained from Pressdee's cell phone revealed disturbing comments, including references to drugging residents and administering "pillow therapy."
The Attorney General's Office began investigating Pressdee after receiving tips from the Pennsylvania Department of State and a family member of a patient who died at Quality Life Services. Medical records revealed insulin overdoses in three patients, leading to a raid on Pressdee's home in Natrona Heights in May.
Initially denying any wrongdoing, Pressdee eventually admitted to overmedicating a total of 22 patients with insulin, expressing remorse for their perceived poor quality of life. She is currently held without bail at Butler County Prison, awaiting trial.
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The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office revealed that Pressdee, 41, openly expressed a desire for elderly and frail patients to die, and even texted her mother about wanting to administer "pillow therapy" – a disturbing reference to smothering patients with a pillow. Witnesses cited in court records claim she mocked individuals with intellectual disabilities and suggested that a man with a brain injury did not deserve to live.
Pressdee's dark journey unfolded over the last three years as she moved from one medical facility to another. In each location, concerns were raised by colleagues and healthcare professionals about her potentially harmful actions. Authorities now assert that her actions directly resulted in the deaths of at least four patients.
The charges include four counts of murder, 17 counts of attempted murder, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person, all related to Pressdee's alleged dosing of patients with insulin. The charges stem from incidents where there is physical evidence linking her to patients' deaths, while survivors or cases with unclear causes of death result in attempted murder charges.
In interviews with law enforcement officials, Pressdee reportedly admitted to giving nearly two dozen patients excessive doses of insulin because she believed their quality of life was poor and thought they would be better off dead. The shocking revelations have left investigators and legal authorities grappling with the magnitude of the alleged crimes.
Pressdee's legal representation, James DePasquale, stated that she is cooperating with law enforcement and intends to plead guilty. Efforts are underway to secure a plea agreement that avoids the death penalty, though prosecutors have not publicly disclosed their intentions regarding this penalty.
Pressdee's nursing license was suspended after her initial arrest in May, where she faced charges related to the deaths of two patients and the injury of a third. Her career as a registered nurse began in the summer of 2018, after previously working as a veterinary technician.
The disturbing pattern of Pressdee's alleged actions emerged early in her career at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Harmarville. Within two months, she faced reprimand for not following a doctor's insulin dosage orders. Concerns were raised by her supervisor, who later reported taking internal actions due to worries about patient harm. Pressdee left the hospital after six months, and court documents do not specify whether she resigned or was terminated.
Pressdee continued her unsettling behavior at Concordia at Rebecca Residence in 2020, where she dosed an 89-year-old woman, not diabetic, with 120 units of insulin. The patient was on hospice care, and Pressdee later pronounced her dead during her overnight shift. This marked the beginning of a series of deaths and incidents across various medical facilities under Pressdee's watch.
At Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation, where Pressdee served as the assistant director of nursing, four patients died after receiving high doses of insulin. Staff raised concerns, but an internal investigation did not find evidence supporting claims of patient harm. Pressdee's conduct was eventually suspended, and one victim's family is currently suing the facility.
Pressdee's alleged crimes escalated at Quality Life Services Chicora, where she served as the nursing assistant and interim director. Four patients died, and another four experienced low blood sugar events under her care. Text messages obtained from Pressdee's cell phone revealed disturbing comments, including references to drugging residents and administering "pillow therapy."
The Attorney General's Office began investigating Pressdee after receiving tips from the Pennsylvania Department of State and a family member of a patient who died at Quality Life Services. Medical records revealed insulin overdoses in three patients, leading to a raid on Pressdee's home in Natrona Heights in May.
Initially denying any wrongdoing, Pressdee eventually admitted to overmedicating a total of 22 patients with insulin, expressing remorse for their perceived poor quality of life. She is currently held without bail at Butler County Prison, awaiting trial.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com