A Florida ICU nurse allegedly removed fentanyl from a critically ill patient’s IV line and later returned to the room in what police say appeared to be an attempt to take more.
Leslie Ann Pope, 54, was arrested Oct. 8, months after a patient’s family member reportedly watched her use a syringe to draw liquid from a fentanyl infusion at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital in Port St. Lucie, CBS 12 reported, citing the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
Investigators said Pope placed the syringe in her pocket before leaving the room.
The alleged theft occurred June 24, according to a subsequent report from the station.
Police said Pope came back to the patient’s room the following night and moved toward the IV equipment. A family member stopped her before she could proceed, authorities said.
Detectives who reviewed surveillance footage reportedly saw Pope handling protective caps connected to the IV system, CBS 12 reported.
Authorities have not been able to establish whether she took any additional medication during that second encounter.
Police also said Pope was not assigned to care for the patient from whose fentanyl infusion she allegedly withdrew medication.
According to Brittany McNally, a Port St. Lucie police public information officer, Pope told investigators she had responded to an “upstream occlusion” alarm involving the IV.
The patient’s significant other, who had professional experience in a medical setting, questioned that explanation.
McNally told CBS 12 that Pope had no initial reason to be in the room because she was not part of the patient’s assigned care team.
SEE ALSO: Ziggy's American Idol Journey: Meet His Parents, Sas Jansen and Father – NewsFinale
The family member’s medical background prompted them to question what they had witnessed and report the matter through the hospital’s chain of command, McNally said.
The hospital launched an internal investigation and alerted the Florida Department of Health, which then contacted law enforcement, according to McNally.
Police opened their investigation in August. Pope was taken into custody Oct. 8 with help from the Palm Beach Marshals Task Force.
She faces multiple felony charges, including grand theft of a controlled substance, possessing a controlled substance without a prescription and fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance.
Investigators have not said what Pope allegedly planned to do with the fentanyl, and she has denied the accusations.
“We don’t want to speculate what she could be using it for, whether it’s personal or, you know, selling it,” McNally said.
“We don’t have that information at this point.”
McNally said Pope had been employed by the hospital for approximately six months.
“We take these allegations very seriously. The individual no longer works with us, and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement,” Cleveland Clinic said in a statement to CBS12 News.
“Because this is an active investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”
The hospital did not provide details as to when Pope’s employment ended or if she was fired, according to the outlet.
The Post reached out to Port St. Lucie Police Department and Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital for more information.