BOSTON, Massachusetts – In a disturbing case of medical malpractice, a Connecticut nurse was sentenced to 20 months in prison for tampering with liquid morphine prescribed to a patient in Massachusetts.
Danielle Works, 42, of Stafford Springs, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release on March 30, 2021, for one count of tampering with a consumer product.
According to sources, Works tampered with a bottle of morphine prescribed to a patient at Governor’s Center, a nursing facility in Westfield, by removing the morphine from the bottle and diluting the remaining morphine with another substance on Jan. 27, 2018.
Subsequently, the patient received diluted doses of the medication shortly before her death. The shocking case has left many questioning the level of care provided by healthcare professionals in Massachusetts.
“Patients must have confidence in their health care provider that they are receiving appropriate medical care,” said Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office.
“Residents of Massachusetts depend on our state’s medical professionals to offer the highest level of care,” said Department of Public Health Acting Commissioner Margret Cooke. “DPH is committed to ensuring that our residents are receiving the best quality care at all congregate care facilities in the Commonwealth, and it is essential that we continue to hold accountable those who neglect this duty of care.”
The case serves as a stark reminder of the need for accountability in the medical profession and the importance of holding those responsible for medical malpractice accountable for their actions.
Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell stated, “Ms. Works took morphine away from a hospice patient who instead received diluted morphine in her final hours of life – it is hard to imagine a more vulnerable victim. She caused a patient in her care to suffer needlessly, and she put lives at serious risk by working while under the influence of narcotics. Health care professionals who do such things warrant federal prosecution.”
Related Federal Cases
- Danielle Works, Tampering with Liquid Morphine, Massachusetts 2018 · Connecticut
- Michael Smith, Cocaine Trafficking, Massachusetts 2024 · Connecticut
- Dinelson Hernandez-Rodriguez, Cocaine Trafficking, Massachusetts 2024 · Connecticut
- Brian McCarthy, Ghost Gun Trafficking, Massachusetts 2024 · Connecticut
- Helbert Costa Generoso, Driver’s License Scam, Massachusetts 2024 · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News