Former nurse suspected of murdering 20 Covid patients demands compensation

Former nurse Theodoor V. from the Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen, who was suspected of killing around 20 patients during the Covid-19 pandemic, demands compensation for the time he was in pre-trial detention. His lawyers announced this on Saturday. They are also preparing a disciplinary complaint against mental health care employees "for violating professional secrecy", according to the website of Anker & Anker Criminal Defense Lawyers.

The former nurse was arrested in April 2023 after the hospital filed a report with the authorities. The OM suspected the former nurse of involvement in the deaths of around 20 patients in the Wilhelmina Hospital’s lung department during the height of the pandemic between March 2020 and May 2022.

He was held in custody for six weeks and was released on June 1, after which the investigation into him continued. On April 12 of this year, almost a year later, the criminal case against him was dismissed due to insufficient evidence to establish that the man committed criminal offenses, the OM said. “The OM will not submit the case to the court, and the nurse is no longer a suspect.”

Now the nurse wants "reparation", say his lawyers. According to de Volkskrant the man, Theodoor (32), had many mental problems as a nurse in the hospital in Assen. He shared traumatic experiences with guiding clients to death at some point with GGZ Drenthe.

He interpreted his statements in such a way that "a report was made to the hospital about serious suspicions that the client had regularly put patients out of their misery. The hospital subsequently filed a report," according to his lawyers. According to them, this is a wrong course of action.

They believe that the conversations that took place at the GGZ were about "general lines" and state that they were "not in-depth". They further state that the two psychologists who spoke with Theodoor for "less than 45 minutes" were "not blank" because they had previously discussed the issue with each other and with colleagues and managers. "In addition, it appears that none of these mental health care employees have been informed of the state of affairs in the corona department."

About Theodoor's statement that his actions, such as increasing the morphine or reducing oxygen in accordance with the protocol, sometimes felt like murder, the lawyers quote a lung specialist interviewed by the police. According to them, he understood this, but also stated that these types of actions simply fit in with care for patients who are in the worst condition.

GGZ Drenthe informed de Volkskrant that it still supports its decision. "Based on the information received, we have made a well-considered choice to break professional secrecy. This was done in the interest of preventing possible greater risks for society," the organization told the newspaper.