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| Worker accused of poisoning elderly care home residents in France | Worker accused of poisoning elderly care home residents in France |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A care worker has been arrested on suspicion of poisoning nine residents in a retirement home. The woman, reported to be in her 30s, was taken into custody after an 84-year-old at the home near Chambéry in eastern France died. | |
| Investigators said none of the victims, all of whom were in their eighties, was "at the end of their life". | Investigators said none of the victims, all of whom were in their eighties, was "at the end of their life". |
| The arrested woman is accused of having administered a "cocktail" of prescription drugs to at least six residents who were elderly and ailing, causing their deaths. | The arrested woman is accused of having administered a "cocktail" of prescription drugs to at least six residents who were elderly and ailing, causing their deaths. |
| The alleged poisonings all took place in the last two months. Police say they are now looking into the health records of three other residents in the home who are said to have fallen ill during the same period of time. | The alleged poisonings all took place in the last two months. Police say they are now looking into the health records of three other residents in the home who are said to have fallen ill during the same period of time. |
| Deputy public prosecutor Dietlind Baudoin said no other pensioners were concerned. | Deputy public prosecutor Dietlind Baudoin said no other pensioners were concerned. |
| Investigators say the accused woman – who is from the region and lived with her parents – had been traumatised after the death of her own mother "in difficult circumstances" during the summer. | Investigators say the accused woman – who is from the region and lived with her parents – had been traumatised after the death of her own mother "in difficult circumstances" during the summer. |
| The suspect appeared before a judge on Thursday afternoon. | The suspect appeared before a judge on Thursday afternoon. |
| The woman told the judge she wanted to "ease the pain" of the residents, according to French media reports quoting investigators. | The woman told the judge she wanted to "ease the pain" of the residents, according to French media reports quoting investigators. |
| The alarm was raised after the 84-year-old woman fell into a sudden coma in November, and died two days later in hospital. | The alarm was raised after the 84-year-old woman fell into a sudden coma in November, and died two days later in hospital. |
| The doctor at the Césalet home in Jacob-Bellecombette, near Chambéry, reported that the cause of the coma could not be clearly established. | The doctor at the Césalet home in Jacob-Bellecombette, near Chambéry, reported that the cause of the coma could not be clearly established. |
| "The following day, toxicology tests revealed the presence of mood altering drugs in a higher-than-normal dose," said a hospital spokesperson. "None of the drugs had been prescribed to this resident." | "The following day, toxicology tests revealed the presence of mood altering drugs in a higher-than-normal dose," said a hospital spokesperson. "None of the drugs had been prescribed to this resident." |
| The spokesperson added: "As soon as the toxicology results were known, the public prosecutor was informed and an inquiry was opened." | The spokesperson added: "As soon as the toxicology results were known, the public prosecutor was informed and an inquiry was opened." |
| The care worker was detained by police on Tuesday this week and held for questioning. | The care worker was detained by police on Tuesday this week and held for questioning. |
| • This article was amended on Friday 13 December 2013. Chambéry is in eastern, not western, France as we initially said in this article. | |
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