Ontario Provincial Police say a doctor is facing three additional murder charges in connection with an investigation into deaths at Hawkesbury and District General Hospital.
Dr. Brian Nadler, who is from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., was arrested Wednesday. He has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, according to police.
The new charges stem from the deaths of of 80-year-old Claire Briere of Rigaud, Que., and 79-year-old Lorraine Lalande and 93-year-old Judith Lungulescu from the Hawkesbury, Ont., area.
The physician had already been before the courts this year. He was accused of killing 89-year-old Albert Poidinger at the hospital in March 2021.
At the time, police said that they were investigating the doctor in connection with several other deaths at the hospital. Nadler was released on bail in July 2021.
Nadler’s lawyers said he was released Wednesday afternoon and the case will return to court Sept. 7. He is under the same conditions as before, including that he remain in Canada, reside at an approved address and notify police of any address change.
The physician is also forbidden from practising medicine and from communicating with employees, patients and relatives of patients at the Hawkesbury hospital.
The law firm issued a brief statement Wednesday afternoon, saying the allegations against their client “will be vigorously defended.”
“All four patients died of COVID-19 and Dr. Nadler provided excellent palliative care,” Greenspan Humphrey Weinstein LLP said. “Wh
en the facts are fully presented, we are confident that he will be vindicated.”
Meanwhile, provincial police say the investigating is ongoing and ask anyone with information about the case to contact Hawkesbury OPP at 1-888-310-1122. They can also do so by reaching out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at crimestoppers.ca
— with files from Global News’ Craig Lord, Phil Carpenter and The Canadian Press