A healthcare worker accused of killing nine patients in Germany
A healthcare worker was brought to court today in the German city of Aachen, in the province of North Rhine Westphalia, on charges of killing nine patients with drug overdose, DPA reported.
The employee, 44, who served as « medical brother », is accused of nine murders and 34 murder attempts. The crimes are claimed at a hospital in Virosteck, North Rhine-Westphalia, between December 2023 and May 2024.
The indictment states that the healthcare worker of a total of 26 patients in the palliative care unit injected calming drugs, sometimes in combination with painkillers, and occurred multiple times. Nine people died as a consequence.
On the first day of the trial at the Aachen District Court, prosecutor Marius Zalman said the defendant had tried to become the « master of life and death » because he wanted to minimize the workload. He also accused the man of developing a « concept of superiority » in his work at the hospital and of « denying the right to life of patients ».
– The investigation into the case began after irregularities were found in the hospital. Five exhumations have now been carried out to autopsy on the bodies of the deceased – said a spokeswoman for the Aachen prosecutor’s office.
Prosecutors are investigating whether there are other related cases from a man’s previous job as a medical brother in Cologne.
The trial is scheduled for June, and dozens are expected to testify, including former colleagues and medical experts.
