Nurse at Berlin hospital accused of murder 06/10/2006 00:00

6 October 2006

BERLIN - A nurse who cared for intensive-care heart patients in one of Berlin's top hospitals has been arrested and accused of two murders, public prosecutor Michael Grunwald said Thursday.

The central city Charite Hospital said it was reviewing records of more than 130 other deaths in the department where she worked.

"We want to be sure there were no other killings," said a spokeswoman at the teaching hospital.

Prosecutors say the suspect, 54, has admitted killing two sick men, aged 77 and 62. One died in mid-August and the other at the start of this month. Grunwald said her motive was not yet understood.

Pathologists have taken samples from the remains of a third person who died in the ward. A city newspaper was to appear Friday with a report that the woman was suspected of killing five in all by administering overdoses of a drug that reduces high blood pressure.

The Berliner Morgenpost said a male aid and a doctor became suspicious that so many people were dying in the ward.

DPA

Subject: German news