Susan Nelles
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Hospital Murders were the poisoning deaths of babies at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children between June 1980 and March 1981. Susan Marguerite Nelles (born in Belleville, Ontario
), who worked there as a nurse, was charged in March 1981 with murdering four babies. She was ultimately exonerated.
The hospital investigated the cause of infant deaths in the cardiac unit, using an experimental, inappropriate testing method. The test indicated that as many as 43 babies were poisoned with the heart medication digoxin
. Police determined that Susan Nelles had been scheduled to work at the times that 23 of the deaths occurred. They arrested and charged her with the deaths of four babies. The deaths then stopped.
However, Nelles had not been on duty for several of the infant deaths, because she swapped shifts with other nurses – who had access to the same medication. Although the deaths ended after Nelles's arrest, the hospital had introduced restrictions for access to digoxin and had implemented a policy that kept infants in intensive care longer. Total deaths between the two units remained identical.
Nelles asked for legal counsel when she was arrested. Her request was interpreted by the investigating police officers to be an indication of her guilt, but the court later ruled that such requests should not be interpreted as evidence of guilt. The court also ruled that the Crown lacked evidence to convict Nelles. The government eventually paid for Nelles's legal costs after she sued the province's Attorney-General, Roy McMurtry
for malicious prosecution
.
A Royal Commission
, led by Justice Samuel Grange, found that eight infants had been murdered. Although another nurse, Phyllis Trayner, fell under scrutiny, no one was charged. Moreover, the experimental test that detected digoxin may have given false results for other chemicals.
In 1999, she received an honorary degree from Queen's University
in Kingston, Ontario
from which she had graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree in 1978. This honour, presented under her married name Susan Pine, was for her work in promoting integrity in the nursing field.
Nelles has since remained in the medical care world after her trial. In 1992 she became director of the Belleville Dialysis Unit of Kingston General Hospital
. She also counsels nurses on legal issues and on dialysis. She helped establish the Nelles Scholarship for Queen's Nursing Science Students in memory of her father, Dr James Nelles and brother Dr David Nelles.
As of 2005, only Nelles had been charged with a crime involving the baby deaths.
As per 2011 LawNow.org article , there is some question as to whether any of the infants were murdered - but perhaps killed by a substance called MBT which was used in the manufacture of the syringes used to medicate the babies and can mimic digoxin in autoposies. To quote from the Epilogue "Today, no one can even say with certainty whether any crimes were ever committed on the pediatric cardiac ward."
Gavin Hamilton, M.D. is about to publish a book entitled "The Nurses Are Innocent: The Digoxin Poisoning Fallacy".
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
), who worked there as a nurse, was charged in March 1981 with murdering four babies. She was ultimately exonerated.
The hospital investigated the cause of infant deaths in the cardiac unit, using an experimental, inappropriate testing method. The test indicated that as many as 43 babies were poisoned with the heart medication digoxin
Digoxin
Digoxin INN , also known as digitalis, is a purified cardiac glycoside and extracted from the foxglove plant, Digitalis lanata. Its corresponding aglycone is digoxigenin, and its acetyl derivative is acetyldigoxin...
. Police determined that Susan Nelles had been scheduled to work at the times that 23 of the deaths occurred. They arrested and charged her with the deaths of four babies. The deaths then stopped.
However, Nelles had not been on duty for several of the infant deaths, because she swapped shifts with other nurses – who had access to the same medication. Although the deaths ended after Nelles's arrest, the hospital had introduced restrictions for access to digoxin and had implemented a policy that kept infants in intensive care longer. Total deaths between the two units remained identical.
Nelles asked for legal counsel when she was arrested. Her request was interpreted by the investigating police officers to be an indication of her guilt, but the court later ruled that such requests should not be interpreted as evidence of guilt. The court also ruled that the Crown lacked evidence to convict Nelles. The government eventually paid for Nelles's legal costs after she sued the province's Attorney-General, Roy McMurtry
Roy McMurtry
Roland "Roy" McMurtry, OC, OOnt is a judge and former politician in Ontario, Canada and the current Chancellor of York University.-Early life:McMurtry was born in Toronto and educated at St. Andrew's College, graduating in 1950...
for malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution is a common law intentional tort, while like the tort of abuse of process, its elements include intentionally instituting and pursuing a legal action that is brought without probable cause and dismissed in favor of the victim of the malicious prosecution...
.
A Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
, led by Justice Samuel Grange, found that eight infants had been murdered. Although another nurse, Phyllis Trayner, fell under scrutiny, no one was charged. Moreover, the experimental test that detected digoxin may have given false results for other chemicals.
In 1999, she received an honorary degree from Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
from which she had graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree in 1978. This honour, presented under her married name Susan Pine, was for her work in promoting integrity in the nursing field.
Nelles has since remained in the medical care world after her trial. In 1992 she became director of the Belleville Dialysis Unit of Kingston General Hospital
Kingston General Hospital
The Kingston General Hospital is a teaching hospital affiliated with Queen's University located in Kingston, Ontario. The hospital is a partner within Kingston's university hospitals, delivering health care, conducting research and training health care professionals.As the oldest public hospital...
. She also counsels nurses on legal issues and on dialysis. She helped establish the Nelles Scholarship for Queen's Nursing Science Students in memory of her father, Dr James Nelles and brother Dr David Nelles.
As of 2005, only Nelles had been charged with a crime involving the baby deaths.
As per 2011 LawNow.org article , there is some question as to whether any of the infants were murdered - but perhaps killed by a substance called MBT which was used in the manufacture of the syringes used to medicate the babies and can mimic digoxin in autoposies. To quote from the Epilogue "Today, no one can even say with certainty whether any crimes were ever committed on the pediatric cardiac ward."
Gavin Hamilton, M.D. is about to publish a book entitled "The Nurses Are Innocent: The Digoxin Poisoning Fallacy".