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ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) — Prosecutors are waiting for police reports before deciding on possible charges against a former nurse in the death of a 4-year-old boy.
Autopsy reports show a caregiver is under investigation for siphoning off medicine that was meant to keep Ryley Maue alive, and replacing what she took with water or another liquid.
A source close to the investigation identified her as 40-year-old Kalamazoo woman, then a licensed practical nurse.
The source said the nurse also is under investigation for a similar allegation involving a child in nearby Barry County.
Ryley Maue was suffering from cerebral palsy and needed liquid Valium to ease seizures, according to his autopsy report. He died of a seizure in August; the Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide.
Michigan licensing records show the woman had been an LPN since 2008, but that the state suspended her license just last month. The state cited negligence, incompetence, lack of good moral character and drug diversion.
Ryley’s mom, Toni Ward, told 24 Hour News 8 the nurse provided overnight care at her family’s home in Allegan for both her young sons.
“She was the sweetest person that can be,” the mom said. “She gave you the trust that you could trust her, and then she let you down.”
The former LPN from Kalamazoo, whose name is not being released, worked for a Kentwood-based home health care company. The boy’s mom said the nurse was assigned to her home for about six weeks.
“I had a day-time nurse that noticed that it was tampered with,” the mom said of the liquid valium. “I wouldn’t have ever guessed.”
The diluted medicine, the autopsy report shows, wasn’t enough to stop the seizures that killed Ryley.
The former nurse, who hasn’t been charged, has no criminal record.
In 2015, she filed for bankruptcy, saying she made $1,400 a month as a nurse. She listed debts of more than $44,000, including more than $6,000 in medical bills.
She is now working at a hair salon in the Battle Creek area. She refused to comment.
Ryley’s mom said she wants to see the woman in court.
“I would tell her how much I suffered, how much my kids suffered, just watching them go through this,” she said.
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Another different story about it:
Detectives are investigating a caregiver after a 4-year-old boy with disabilities died, alleging she stole some of the medicine that was meant to keep him alive, according to the boy’s autopsy report.
Ryley Maue of Allegan died on Aug. 26 from a seizure related to cerebral palsy, the autopsy report shows.
He had been taking liquid Valium to help control seizures, but the caregiver allegedly replaced some of the Valium with water or some other liquid, the report states. The watered-down medicine, the report shows, wasn’t enough to stop the seizures that killed him.
A source close to the investigation said the caregiver was a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who worked at the boy’s home in Allegan. The source said the nurse also is under investigation for a similar allegation involving a child in nearby Barry County.
“It’s the most cruel thing ever imagined,” the boy’s mom, Toni Ward, told 24 Hour News 8 on Thursday. “You never would think that somebody would just do that to a handicapped child on life support.”
Ryley suffered from cerebral palsy. So does his older brother. Ryley was never able to walk or talk, but his mom could read his face.
“Rye-Rye was my little monster,” she said. “He was an amazing little boy.”
He had recently learned to sit up and roll over on his own.
Both her sons took liquid Valium.
“It’s supposed to calm the seizures down,” their mom said.
Their mom said she got help from two in-home care nurses from a local agency — one several times a week during the day and another working overnight shifts. Not long before Ryley died, she said, the daytime nurse noticed the liquid Valium appeared watered down. The mom said she reported the theft to police, but never suspected the night-time nurse.
“I would never have thought of a nurse doing something like that,” she said. “You’re supposed to trust a nurse.”
Then, early in the morning on Aug. 26, Ryley suffered a seizure that killed him.
“I would love to see her get prosecuted, go to prison for a long time,” Ryley’s mom said.
24 Hour News 8 is not identifying the nurse, who remains under investigation. State records show her LPN license was suspended in January.