Nurse suspected in death of 20 patients released from pretrial detention

Former nurse suspected of involvement 20 patients died prematurely He was released from custody by the North Dutch Court on Thursday. The court said the evidence behind the charges was not strong enough to justify the extended pretrial detention of Theodore V, who worked at Willehelmina Hospital in Assen.

A 31-year-old man worked as a respiratory nurse at the hospital during the coronavirus pandemic. The Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) alleges that the suspect performed medical procedures on a patient believed to be terminally ill and suffering from serious symptoms without a doctor’s order.he was detained on April 17.

A North Holland court council previously ruled that the evidence was strong enough to continue his detention. This was largely due to accusatory remarks he himself allegedly made to employees of a psychiatric facility in Drenthe. He spoke of his death at his hospital during a conversation with a psychiatrist.

investigator and prosecutor continued to advance their claims The man was in custody, but further investigations have yet to find “concrete cases” linking the suspect to the premature death of “one or more patients.” That is why the council ruled Thursday in favor of his release.

The public prosecutor’s office said that potential witnesses will be interviewed in the near future. OM said the medical record search was still ongoing. A provisional estimate is expected to be released at the end of June. The public prosecutor’s office is considering appealing the congressional decision.

Lawyer Sebas Dikstra represent several families who may be victimssaid on behalf of the client that many questions still remain unanswered. “The uncertainty about how their loved ones died really eats them up,” he said. The news that the court has released a man who may have been involved in the death of their relative “makes the whole situation even more complicated” for them.

Wilhelmina Hospital also said it still supported the decision to press charges against the former nurse. Filing a crime report was a “good step” and the hospital said an investigation into the death was still ongoing and the man was still considered a suspect in the case.

“We are now thinking first of all of our close relatives. Being with them will make us feel even more insecure. The same applies to ourselves. We are asking ourselves the same question: what is the crime?” What happened and how did it happen?” a spokeswoman said.

The hospital maintains ongoing contact with next of kin by email and phone. “I can’t give you the answer, but I can help,” she says.