The New York Police Department, NYPD, has charged a nurse from New York for allegedly stealing the credit card from a dying coronavirus patient and using it for groceries and gas.
According to the NYPD, the nurse, Danielle Conti, 43, was charged with grand larceny, petty larceny and criminal possession of stolen property after allegedly charging items to a former patient’s credit card who died from Covdid-19.
The Independent of London reported that the victim, Anthony Catapano, 70, was hospitalised for the novel virus at the State Island University Hospital on April 4, 2020, his daughter, Tara Catapano, told the CNN.
At the time of the alleged theft, the victim was lucid but he later died on April 12 from complications of COVID-19.
“I was in shock and disbelief,” Tara Catapano said. “Obviously, I knew it had to be a hospital employee because visitors weren’t really allowed.”
Ms Catapano took over her father’s finances in 2014 after her mother died.
Typically, she would not pay close attention to what her father spent, but then she saw a charge for gasoline on the statements when he tended to pay cash. Upon looking further, it was discovered the charge was made on 9 April while he was in the hospital.
Police later analysed security footage from the gas station and discovered what appeared to be Ms Conti using the credit card for her purchase.
Other items missing from her father’s possessions were his cell phone, eyeglasses, and cash in his wallet.
“They take an oath to protect, not to harm,” Ms Catapano said.
In a statement, the hospital said: “Danielle Conti has been temporarily suspended and faces termination in response to the felony charges. We are working closely with the law enforcement authorities and the hospital is conducting its own investigation. Ms. Conti has been an employee since 2007.”
Ms Conti was expected to appear in court sometime in September, a NYPD spokesperson said.
But Ms Catapano wants more answers as to why someone would take advantage of a patient while on his “deathbed”.
“He is my father, he is a person,” she said. “I am disgusted (Conti was) supposed to be taking care of him and instead … stole from him.”