WATCH: Daniela Poggiali, who was working at the Lugo hospital in Ravenna province, northern Italy, is accused of administering massive doses of potassium chloride, according to prosecutors.
A nurse in Italy has been arrested on suspicion of killing several terminally ill patients whilst they were under her care.
Daniela Poggiali, who was working at the Lugo hospital in Ravenna province, northern Italy, is accused of administering massive doses of potassium chloride, according to prosecutors.
“We believe that this woman aimed to anticipate the death of the terminally ill patients, difficult patients, either because the relatives were demanding or because it was difficult to take care of the patient,” said prosecutor Alessandro Mancini.
Mancini said he had ruled out the possibility that Poggiali injected the patients on humanitarian grounds as a form of euthanasia.
The case came to light after health care staff noticed a statistically abnormal number of deaths were connected to Poggiali.
Andrea Des Dorides, the general director of Ravenna province health care, reported the suspicions to the prosecutor’s office, and an investigation was launched in April.
An in-depth forensic analysis of the body of a 78-year-old woman, Rosa Calderoni, found a large amount of potassium chloride, with no trace of the substance in her intravenous drip.
Prosecutors said this was clear evidence that the chemical had been injected intentionally, directly into Calderoni’s body.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Poggiali could be responsible for the deaths of up to 38 people.
Poggiali has denied any wrong doing.
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