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POLK COUNTY, Iowa —
Prosecutors in both Polk and Grundy counties charged the former director of nursing at a Polk City facility with stealing opioid pain killers from patients.
Laura Townsend-Edler, 51, of Gladbrook, was arrested July 24 and faces a long list of charges.
In Polk County, prosecutors charged Townsend-Edler with using her position at the Polk City Nursing and Rehabilitation to steal hydrocodone from a patient. She is also accused of falsifying records to conceal the thefts.
Townsend-Edler’s former employer contacted local police and the Medicaid Fraud Unit about the theft.
“In this case the facility did the right thing,” said David Werning, with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
Werning said the Department Inspections and Appeals said they have seen cases like this before.
“It could well be that someone was suspicious,” Werning said. “It could be a medication check. Facilities have to keep track of all their medications.”
The case has been turned over to the Polk County Attorney for now, but sanctions could be imposed on the care facility for failing to safeguard medications.
Polk City Nursing and Rehabilitation also faces repercussions for two class one citations for failure to provide adequate care to patients.
Class one citations are only given out for severe failure to comply with the care facility regulations established by the state of Iowa.
Officials with the Department of Inspections and Appeals said the two incidents happened within the last fiscal year and that the federal government is now involved.
KCCI reached out to officials at Polk City Nursing and Rehabilitation, who refused to comment.