Doctor 300 Deaths: Virginia Helena Soares de Souza Accused of Killing Patients To Free Up Hospital Beds
Virginia Helena Soares de Souza, a doctor in Curitiba, Brazil, appeared in court Wednesday for allegedly killing seven patients. Now, reports suggest it could be up to 300 patients.
Authorities claim de Souza recruited doctors to administer lethal doses of anesthetics, sedatives and painkillers in order to free up hospital beds, according to Fox 8.
Seven other health care professionals were charged and de Souza was first arrested for the case in February. According to the news station, investigators claim de Souza ordered other doctors to alter oxygen levels and mediations in the intensive care unit between 2006 and 2013.
According to Sky News, de Souza, 56, said in a recording released to Brazilian media, "I want to clear the intensive care unit. It's making me itch."
She also allegedly said, "Unfortunately, our mission is to be go-betweens on the springboard to the next life."
She has pleaded not guilty and her attorney, Elias Mattar Assad, said she will prove her decisions were justified.
Mario Lobato was tasked to investigate the case further and have been looking over medical charts and interviewing doctors. According to Fox 8, Lobato said some patients were awake or conscious before being administered lethal drugs.