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Canadian nurse accused of 8 murders at nursing homes

Police allege 49-year-old used drugs to murder elderly residents

Barry Ellsworth  | 25.10.2016 - Update : 25.10.2016
Canadian nurse accused of 8 murders at nursing homes FILE PHOTO

Canada

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Ont. 

A former nurse in Canada faces first-degree murder charges in the deaths of eight elderly patients at two nursing homes in the province of Ontario, according to authorities.

Police said the deaths occurred at nursing homes in Woodstock and London, Ontario, between 2007 and 2014, CTV television news reported. The communities are about two hours southwest of Toronto.

Ontario Provincial Police alleged that Elizabeth Tracey Wettlaufer of Woodstock, used drugs to murder the residents at the long-term care homes, where she previously worked.

“There are obviously a number of drugs that are stored and available in long-term facilities,” OPP Det. Supt. Dave Truax said at a news conference. “Subsequent to our investigation, part of the evidence for this particular matter, all I’m able to say at this time was that a drug was administered.”

Wettlaufer, 49, appeared in court Tuesday and was remanded into custody.

She stopped working at her last employer, Caressant Care in Woodstock, about two-and-a-half years ago, a spokesperson for the nursing home told CTV. Wettlaufer has since resigned as a nurse with the provincial agency that governs nurses.

Carresant Care’s Lee Griffi said the home was devastated by the charges. Seven of the victims were residents of Carresant Care and one at Meadow Park in London.

“We deeply regret the additional grief and stress this is imposing on the families involved,” Griffi told CTV.

Police said the investigation into the deaths began in Woodstock near the end of September and then expanded to include London, Oxford and Brant counties.

Police did not disclose what sparked the investigation but said they are confident all the victims have been identified.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne told lawmakers that the alleged homicides were “extremely distressing”.


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