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Two nurses are accused in a months-long scheme to steal medications from their patients – including a 90-year-old – at a Walker County healthcare facility.
J. Norris, 34, is charged with eight felony crimes and one misdemeanor, including elderly abuse and neglect. K. Garza, 31, is charged with three felonies and one misdemeanor. Both worked as nurses at Cordova Health and Rehabilitation.
Their arrests were announced by Cordova police and Walker County District Attorney Bill Adair.
According to charging documents, the alleged crimes stretched from January through early May. Investigators say Norris on different occasions signed out multiple doses of narcotics – including Oxycodone and Norco – that were meant for patients but never given to them. In once instance, records state, he took 16 tablets valued at $592.
The drugs were never administered to the patients, including a 90-year-old and an 81-year-old. In doing so, authorities allege, he deprived them of needed medication that left them in serious pain when they had to go without.
Additionally, records state, Norris conspired with Garza to distribute the drugs, and he falsely signed documents that he had disposed of the drugs when they were unaccounted for.
Norris, a registered nurse, is charged with three counts of felony theft, two counts of attempting to distribute a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, forgery and two counts of elderly abuse and neglect.
Garza, a licensed practical nurse, is charged with attempting to possess a controlled substance, attempting to distribute drugs, forgery and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
A cash bond for both is set at $100,000.