Former Baptist Health nurse arrested for murder of patient
Eyvette Hunter, 52, is accused of murdering 97-year-old James Morris in May
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Eyvette Hunter, a former nurse at Baptist Health Lexington, was arrested Tuesday and charged with the murder of a patient in May. The Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) revoking her nursing license on Monday.
In the order to temporarily suspend Hunter’s nursing license, KBN details the events leading up to the death of 97-year-old James Morris. In the investigation of Hunter, the board says she admitted to giving Morris Ativan, a calming drug, without orders and feeding him.
According to the order, Morris was admitted to Baptist Health on April 30th following a “slip and fall” incident and Hunter was providing care. Hunter tried to help Morris to his chair when he became “agitated and aggressive” so she left to get restraints, according to the order.
The order says while out, Hunter asked both the nurse practitioner and on-duty physician if they could order medication but both declined. The order says Hunter withdrew lorazepam, also known as Ativan, for a different patient. It says about 5 minutes after Hunter withdrew the medication, Morris’ chair alarm sounded bringing multiple nurses in response. The order says Hunter came in and injected Morris with a syringe in his right arm. When asked what it was, Hunter replied “something special”, the order says.
According to the order, about 30 minutes later, another nurse found Morris having a hard time breathing but his oxygen levels weren’t reading right. The order says Hunter had disarmed the oxygen monitoring system so an alarm wouldn’t sound.
A respiratory therapist was called to deliver breathing treatment and food was found stuck in Morris’ throat, according to the order. X-rays were taken and it was determined breathing in the substance stuck in his throat caused aspirational pneumonia, the order says.
According to the order, Hunter allegedly changed paperwork to say Ativan was “not given”. The order says Morris continued to decline in health and he later died on may 5th. Morris died from aspirational pnuemonia, the order says. The suspension order says though Morris’ condition was rapidly declining, Hunter showed no urgency in her response.
Baptist Health Lexington released a statement saying: “We have learned that a former nurse at our hospital has been arrested today on criminal charges. The nurse has not worked at our hospital since April 30th. The nurse’s employment was terminated and she was reported to the Kentucky Board of Nursing. The hospital has fully cooperated with the police investigation. Patient care and safety are always our top priorities. Out of respect for the patient’s family and because this is criminal matter, we are not able to talk about the investigation.”
Hunter is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on a $100,000 full-cash bond.
