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Nurses charged over 'induced deaths' at Uruguay hospital | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Two male nurses in Uruguay have been charged in connection with the deaths of several patients at two hospitals in the capital Montevideo, police say. | |
The men were held after a two-month police investigation. A third nurse was charged with concealing evidence. | |
The judge in the case said the two admitted to a total of 16 induced deaths, but they could be responsible for dozens more. | |
A lawyer for one nurse said her client had acted for humanitarian reasons. | |
He is "aware of his actions" and had "confessed fully to the judge", lawyer Ines Massiotti said. | |
Prosecutors say the alleged killings took place in the cardiology unit of the Maciel Hospital and in the intensive care unit of the Spanish Mutual Care hospital. | |
'Psychopathic behaviour' | 'Psychopathic behaviour' |
The names of the nurses - who were apparently not working together - have not been released. | |
Reports in Uruguay's media suggest that as many as 50 people could have been killed through a combination of administered medication and other procedures. | |
Police inspector Jose Luis Roldan said poison from Brazil had been used on patients who were in critical condition, the Associated Press news agency reports. | Police inspector Jose Luis Roldan said poison from Brazil had been used on patients who were in critical condition, the Associated Press news agency reports. |
However, investigators believe that not all the victims were terminally ill. | However, investigators believe that not all the victims were terminally ill. |
A spokesperson for one of the hospitals involved said that the deaths were the consequence of "psychopathic behaviour". | |
Forensic studies are still being carried out and the results could take several days, the BBC's Vladimir Hernandez reports. | |
Uruguay's public health ministry issued a statement saying it was co-operating with the investigation into "presumed criminal acts linked to the health area". | |
It expressed "profound concern" over the case and said it was carrying out its own investigation. | It expressed "profound concern" over the case and said it was carrying out its own investigation. |