A nurse may have murdered up to 38 patients due to the “annoying behavior of patients and their pushy relatives,” Italian investigators looking into cause of death of 78-year-old Rosa Calderoni noted.
Foul play was suspected when dangerous levels of potassium were discovered in her (Rosa Calderoni) system.
Daniela Poggiali, 42, a nurse who was in charge of her rehabilitation before she died April 8, was arrested Saturday.
Authorities suspect Ms Poggiali of having injected potassium into the veins of her victims to stop their hearts. They also suspect that the nurse may have killed two other patients who died on the same day as Ms Calderoni.
Ms Poggiali allegedly targeted patients she thought were annoying or who were visited by ‘pushy relatives.’
‘We believe she is sound of mind, but simply took satisfaction, and real pleasure in killing’, Alessandro Mancini, the magistrate leading the inquiry told The Times.
Ms Poggiali has denied any wrongdoing.
However, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera quoted one of Ms Poggiali’s colleagues as saying that in the case of difficult patients, the suspect would say: “Leave it to me, I’ll quieten them.”