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NJ Nurse Charged With Killing 72-Year-Old Patient
AP
September 09, 2008
NEPTUNE, N.J. — A nurse was charged with first-degree murder Monday for allegedly killing a terminally ill heart patient with a paralyzing drug last year.
But her lawyer says Lorie Hentges “is guilty of nothing other than holding the hand of a dying man while his regular nurse ate lunch.”
A grand jury indicted Hentges, 39, in connection with the April 2007 death of Alvin Flamenbaum, 72, at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
Flamenbaum was diagnosed with congestive heart failure the previous month. He was being moved to a rehabilitation center on April 12, 2007, when he began complaining of shortness of breath and other symptoms. While en route to the hospital, he stopped breathing.
He was placed on a respirator, and his family decided to withdraw lifesaving measures when his condition was diagnosed as terminal.
But after being taken off the respirator, Flamenbaum started breathing on his own, County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said Monday.
On April 14, a nurse who was primarily responsible for Flamenbaum’s care returned from a lunch break to find Hentges in Flamenbaum’s room. Shortly afterward, his vital signs worsened and he died.
An autopsy listed the cause of death as the acute effects of an unprescribed paralytic drug, and the case was classified as a homicide.
Valentin said Hentges is not suspected in any other patient deaths, but an investigation of her activities is continuing.
She surrendered to authorities Monday and was freed on $250,000 bail.
Her lawyer, Alton D. Kenney, said the drug she is alleged to have given Flamenbaum was readily available throughout the hospital and the rehab facility.
“My client has no motive, and no reason at all to have committed this offense,” Kenney said.
(c) YellowBrix 2008
msclcdrrn
1 day ago
2 comments
Had it occured to them that the patient had been placed on a vent two days before his death and may have received paralytic drugs to keep him from bucking the vent. Patient weaned off the vent between 12 and 14th and then surprised when a patient over 70 years old w/ end stage terminal CHF demises. Could that elderly patient then subsequently did not clear those meds appropriately prior to surcumbing to complications. To be able to be weaned off the ventilator was in itself a miracle. This "guilty" nurse is probably only guily of doing the other nurse a favor by watching her patient for 30 minutes while she ate. Where is the motive here-and did anyone with a medical background every investigate this case??
mgraves
4 days ago
6 comments
I don't think the prosecutor has enough evidence to convict the nurse unless they showed evidence of her given a drug any one for that matter because then you can say she probably gave the wrong one. Whose to say his regular nurse didn't do it. The story states after the nurse returned his vitals start getting worse so of course their where some signs and symptoms along the way before he left the earth.
mommaniese
6 days ago
50 comments
Not enough evidence, a family member could have gave him the drug. What is her motive?
vinnigirl
7 days ago
16 comments
Sounds to me like they dont have all the facts of this case put together. And I hope she didn't do this; she would be so sorry if she did this. Perhaps they need to be more specific and use forensics or the other scientific technology we have available today. Good luck to all. vinnigirl
ccioffi
8 days ago
14 comments
Need more info to really judge this. Who signed off on what, who Rx what, & what steps does the instituition take. Crazy stuff!
tiffannij
12 days ago
72 comments
I don't think she did this. Why would she want to kill an innocent man and he was breathing on his own. He could of got the drug and did it himself because he didn't want to suffer anymore. He probably thought he was going to get worse again. It is not enough evidence andi don't know how they came up with a conviction.
rescue1
20 days ago
16 comments
this article does not allow us to fully understand all of the evidence. so hard to place an opinion. i hope she didn't do this. horrible!
caroe_
23 days ago
2 comments
Where did the drug come from I am sure that someone had to sign for this drug. Just because the nurse was in his room means squat. I agree that we need to unite, I agree with ggs. Can they prove that this nurse adminstered this drug or did the doctor while making rounds, or the housekeeper. I hope the nurse didn't, it is not up to us when a person leaves this earth.We all need to pray for her she has to to be going through hell.My prayers are with her. Cheryl
neuroRN
23 days ago
22 comments
Not really sure what to think of this case. Hopefully she respected the nursing code of ethics and did not do this. But on the other side this very well could be true.
aimee0526
24 days ago
4 comments
Also, who knows?! This could of been a set-up, it's AWFUL.
aimee0526
24 days ago
4 comments
If she did not have a Doctor's order for this paralytic drug then she is to be held accountable by the laws us nurses abide by.
raymoss1
24 days ago
50 comments
Can they prove when the drug was administered. Can they prove who administered the drug? Or was this nurse left the scape goat. Just because she was the last to sit witht he patient does not mean she killed him. Maybe another case where the nurse is left to take a fall for the adminstration or doctor. Then we wonder why people do not want to go into nursing.
ggs
24 days ago
2 comments
This is so wrong. Whats next? Will every Nurse in America will be put under the microscope when a patient dies. Nurses we need to Unite and stop the accusations and placing blame on Nurses. We Nurses have a hard job to do as it is with the shortage of staff, rotating shifts, poor working conditions not to mention the inadequate salary we are paid. Now we have to worry about being charged with murder? I think this case needs to be put under the microscope, where are the investigators?
mikoandbenji
25 days ago
30 comments
So sad!
mrswest07
about 1 month ago
2 comments
I have 5 words: ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE HER!!