MEDFORD, Ore. – The Medford Police Department is speaking up after a civil lawsuit brought forth by Idiart Law Group named Asante and a nurse as defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit connected to the ongoing investigation into the alleged drug diversion that may have resulted in several deaths and infections.
Tuesday (2/28/2024) NBC5 News spoke to Justin Idiart an attorney with Idiart Law Group who is representing the estate of 65-year-old Horace Wilson, who died while hospitalized at Asante’s RRMC. The lawsuit alleges in part that a nurse replaced his prescribed fentanyl with unsterilized tap water, introducing bacteria into his central line and ultimately resulting in an unexplained decline in Wilson’s health. The law group names the hospital system and nurse Dani Marie Schofield as defendants.
In a statement issued Wednesday (2/28/2024), Medford Police Lieutenant Geoff Kirkpatrick said MPD is aware of the civil lawsuit naming the nurse and will not be confirming any names of those involved in the active investigation. Lieutenant Kirkpatrick went on to say,
“Since December 2023, investigators have been diligently working on this case. Numerous interviews have been conducted, with many more yet to be completed. We are meticulously reviewing thousands of documents, including medical records, which require thorough examination and consultation with experts in the medical field.”
While MPD continues its investigation, no criminal charges have been filed and no arrests have been made. MPD says it will provide updates as soon as they become available.
The Lund Report, an independent online news source, reports it interviewed the nurse named by the civil lawsuit. According to the Lund Report, it interviewed Dani Marie Schofield in January 2024. According to the Lund Report, Schofield denied wrongdoing, said she had not been charged with anything and had been cooperating.
In January, after a request under Oregon Public Records law, the nursing board provided the Lund Report with an “interim order of consent” stating Schofield voluntarily withdrew her nursing license pending an unspecified investigation. While a civil lawsuit has been filed, again no criminal charges have been filed and no arrests have been made in this matter.
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