Nurse Accused of Stealing Morphine and Replacing With Food Coloring and Water

A nurse in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, has been  accused of stealing morphine from the nursing home where she worked and replacing it with blue food coloring and water, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.   

Abigail Hall, 50, allegedly stole seven doses of morphine and took at least one dose while working, the Leader reports. During her shift, she also took Percocet, which is also an opioid, and phenergan, a sedative. 

A coworker at the facility called the police to report Hall was leaving intoxicated, and officers later pulled over Hall and conducted a DUI field sobriety test. Another officer then located Hall’s backpack near a dumpster at the nursing home facility where they found syringes of morphine and blue food coloring.

According to the police report, Hall admitted to stealing the morphine and said she had been pilfering doses since January. She also told officers she was considering suicide. When she complained of chest pains during the police interview, she was taken to the hospital for observation.

The case is similar to that of a 32-year-old nurse in Oklahoma who last month confessed to stealing fentanyl meant for patients in intensive care and refilling the vials with water. She faces up to ten years in prison.

Hall now faces 21 counts of first-degree wanton endangerment because she was allegedly under the influence of controlled substances while caring for 21 patients. She faces additional charges for stealing the medication and trying to conceal the backpack containing the evidence.