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Nursing Assistant Charged With Murder of 7 Veterans, and a Colorado Squirrel Tests Positive for Bubonic Plague.
Officials have charged a former nursing assistant at a medical center for veterans with seven counts of second-degree murder, and one count of assault with intent to commit murder to an eighth patient. Reta Mays worked in Clarksburg, Virginia at the Louis A. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Prosecutors are accusing Mays of killing the patients by injecting them with insulin.
The veterans’ deaths caught the attention of one of the doctors who also worked there because they were so out of place. Why had so many patients died from the same unexplained cause?
From 2015 to 2018, Mays worked the night shift. She did so in a ward that housed many diabetes patients. A doctor reported “concern about the deaths of patients who had suffered unexplained hypoglycemic episodes,” in 2018.
One of the victims was Felix McDermott. He was a Vietnam veteran, staying in the hospital for aspiration pneumonia.
“We thought he had died of natural causes. Only to find out in late August [2018], when the FBI showed up at my house, that he didn’t,” said his daughter, Melanie Proctor. “And we have been waiting for answers ever since.”
McDermott died from “one massive insulin injection,” the family attorney said to NPR’s Vanessa Romo.
Reta Mays will appear on Tuesday at 2 pm ET in federal court.
Related: Nurses Fired for Refusing to Work Without N-95 Masks
A squirrel in Colorado has tested positive for the bubonic plague, public health officials say. This marks the first case of plague in Jefferson County, which is just west of Denver.
“Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis. It can be contracted by humans and household animals if proper precautions are not taken,” said Jefferson County officials in a press statement. The plague isn’t picky about who it targets. In other words, you should keep your pets safe.
Officials warned that pet cats and dogs are susceptible to the plague. Bug bites, flea bites and scratches can quickly spread the disease. They say cats, in particular, can die if they aren’t treated quickly enough. They need antibiotics after coming into contact with the plague. In other words, pets shouldn’t be approaching wild animals as potential snack bars.
Related: Man Catches Plague after Eating a Wild Rabbit
“Symptoms of plague may include sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, nausea and extreme pain and swelling of lymph nodes occurring within two to seven days after exposure. Plague can be effectively treated with antibiotics when diagnosed early. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should consult a physician.
“All pet owners who live close to wild animal populations, such as prairie dog colonies or other known wildlife habitats, should consult their veterinarian about flea control for their pets to help prevent the transfer of fleas to humans,” said local health officials. Flea prevention can go a long way.
In other words, if you notice your pet is acting differently than normal, a vet visit may be in order. It is always better to be safe than sorry. You never know what your pet might come into contact with. The last thing anyone wants is a rabid pet, or worse.
