Authorities in Pennsylvania have announced the arrest of Heather Pressdee, a former registered nurse, on charges including homicide. The allegations state that Pressdee prescribed excessive amounts of insulin to patients, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and the hospitalization of another, as reported by Attorney General Michelle Henry in a press release on May 25.
Pressdee, aged 40 and hailing from Natrona Heights, has been arraigned on two counts of homicide, one count of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault, three counts of neglect of a care-dependent person, and three counts of reckless endangerment. It is currently unknown whether Pressdee has entered a plea or secured legal representation. She is currently being held without bail at Butler County Prison and is scheduled to appear in court on June 6, according to court records.
The allegations focus on Pressdee’s employment as a registered nurse at Quality Life Services, a skilled nursing facility in Chicora, from May 23, 2022, to November 28, 2022. Prosecutors claim that during this period, Pressdee administered excessive doses of insulin to three patients, leading to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), as stated in a criminal complaint.
The complaint reveals that a 55-year-old man died on December 4, 2022, and an 83-year-old man died on December 25, 2022, after receiving lethal doses of insulin under Pressdee’s care. A third victim, a 73-year-old man, survived after receiving a potentially lethal dose of insulin on August 31, 2022, requiring emergency hospitalization, according to Henry’s press release.
It is worth noting that two of the three men were not diabetic, as stated by Henry. The attorney general alleges that Pressdee, whose role was to provide care, deliberately caused the deaths of these vulnerable patients.
“The allegations, in this case, outline the callous abuse of incredibly vulnerable patients by a professional nurse,” expressed Henry in the release. “As the charges indicate, these were deliberate and intentional acts perpetrated by a caregiver who was trusted to care for these victims. Be assured, my office will zealously pursue justice for the families of those who were killed, as well as the third victim who is fortunate to have survived.”
The complaint indicates that an investigation was initiated following a complaint from a relative of one of the alleged victims, who alleged that Pressdee had improperly administered insulin to patients. During questioning regarding the fatalities, Pressdee reportedly expressed remorse for the victim’s quality of life and admitted to hoping they would slip into a coma and pass away, as mentioned in the complaint. Additionally, a nurse at the facility claimed that Pressdee had stated that one of the deceased patients, identified as J.B., would be better off dead.
The complaint further alleges that Pressdee confessed to investigators that the surviving patient, identified as E.A., was in COVID isolation and had requested her to “kill him” before she injected him with approximately 100 units of long-acting insulin in the stomach. Authorities stated that Pressdee did not address the symptoms that followed, and the subsequent shift sent the patient to the hospital.
According to the complaint, Pressdee has held short-term nursing positions at approximately 11 facilities since 2018, including Quality Life Services. Authorities claim to have identified a pattern of disciplinary actions against Pressdee for abusive behavior towards patients and/or staff at each facility, leading to her resignation or termination.
The investigation is ongoing, and individuals with concerns about the care provided by Pressdee are encouraged to contact the Office of the Attorney General’s tip line at 888-538-8541.
