A German court has sentenced a palliative care nurse to life imprisonment after she was found guilty of murdering 10 patients and attempting to murder 27.
Prosecutors said the accused, who has not been named, primarily administered painkillers or sedatives to elderly patients to reduce her workload during night shifts. The crimes took place between December 2023 and May 2024 at a hospital in the western German city of Wuerselen.
Prosecutors stated that the nurse displayed aggression and a lack of empathy towards patients who required increased care. The German nurse administered large doses of morphine and the sedative Midazolam to the patients.
In handing down the life sentence, the court noted that the defendant’s guilt was of a ‘particular severity,’ which should restrict her right to parole after 15 years. The nurse has the right to appeal the verdict.
Investigators are reportedly examining other suspicious cases in her career. Exhumations are currently underway to identify potential additional victims.
This case is reminiscent of the German serial killer, nurse Niels Högel. Högel was convicted in 2019 for the murder of 85 patients.
