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HelioMetrics Comment: Here are more details from this very sad story of a child’s death due to a nurse diverting drugs. We will do our best to follow this story and post all updates that we see. Our first post on this story was here:
Update is below:
ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) — A former nurse under investigation in the homicide of a 4-year-old with medical disabilities has admitted stealing the medicine that was meant to keep him alive, according to records obtained Thursday by Target 8.
Kristie Mollohan, 40, of Kalamazoo, also admitted to using the drug.
Records obtained from the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs lay out the case against the former licensed practical nurse (LPN), who has not been charged in the death. The state report shows she admitted stealing liquid Valium from three children who needed it to control seizures and describes how the theft led to the death of 4-year-old Ryley Maue, who suffered from cerebral palsy, in August 2016.
The state’s investigation led the Board of Nursing Disciplinary Subcommittee to suspend Mollohan’s LPN license in January.
Mollohan started working for Wyoming-based Lakeshore Home Health Care Services in May 2015 as a home care nurse. She was assigned to work for three children in two homes, all of whom had been prescribed liquid Valium for seizures. One was the Allegan home of Ryley and his big brother, Kenny, who also has cerebral palsy. Their mom, Toni Ward, told 24 Hour News 8 that Mollohan worked at her home for about six weeks, on shift overnight several times per week.
An undated courtesy photo of Ryley Maue.
In August, another Lakeshore nurse reported her suspicion that someone had tampered with the liquid Valium bottles for Ryley and his brother. Records show a pharmacist confirmed they had had been diluted.
A few days later, the father of another patient called Lakeshore to report that someone had tampered with liquid Valium. Records don’t identify that victim, who survived. Police say that theft happened in Barry County.
Lakeshore ordered all of its nurses to provide urine samples for drug screens. Records show Mollohan was the only nurse to test positive for the drug.
On Aug. 23, Lakeshore interviewed Mollohan, who admitted stealing liquid Valium from all three for her own use and “replacing the stolen liquid diazepam (Valium) with water.” Lakeshore immediately fired her and reported it to the state, records show.
Three days later, on Aug. 26, Ryley died of a seizure — a death later ruled a homicide.
The medical examiner determined that Ryley’s medication had less than 10 percent of the prescribed concentration.
Before August, the report said, Ryley’s condition had stabilized.
Prosecutors in Allegan and Barry counties said they’re still investigating the cases and haven’t decided on charges.
Mollohan, who has no criminal record, has not responded to Target 8’s requests for comment.