Nurse guilty of stealing elderly patients’ morphine at Central KY nursing home
A Central Kentucky nurse accused of replacing nursing home patients’ pain medicine with colored water has reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
Abigail Hall pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product, according to a plea agreement filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Frankfort.
Four other charges will be dismissed.
The plea agreement says Hall admitted to taking morphine that had been prescribed to three patients on Aug. 27, 2023, replacing it with “water and blue food coloring, to resemble the real medication.”
All three patients “had significant disease and pain concerns,” and at least one was not able to speak, the agreement says.
Hall stole at least seven syringes of morphine and gave one patient the colored water.
Hall was a contract nurse who worked at several health facilities in Kentucky, including one in Lawrenceburg, according to the federal plea agreement.
A complaint warrant filed against Hall in state court identified the facility where the incident took place as Signature Healthcare at Heritage Hall Rehab and Wellness Center.
Hall, 51, could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years’ supervised release.
Hall was indicted by a federal grand jury in May. Her jury trial was to begin Dec. 16.
Hall’s sentencing has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 24 before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove.
