Nurse charged with murder in patient's death
Brick woman worked in medical center's heart unit for 11 years
BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer

AMonmouth County grand jury has indicted a Brick Township woman on a first-degree murder count in connection with the death of a Jersey Shore University Medical Center patient.

The medical center is in Neptune.

Lorie Hentges, 39, of Brick, was a longtime nurse in the hospital's Cardio Thoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) at the hospital when Alvin Flamenbaum, 72, of Toms River, died there on April 14, 2007, Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said this week.

"Nurses hold positions of great trust, and society rightfully expects that they will discharge their responsibilities with honesty and integrity, and at all times act in the best interests of the patient," Valentin said. "The indictment returned by the grand jury alleges that Hentges ignored these clear responsibilities by purposely or knowingly causing the death of this terminally ill man."

Hentges turned herself in to the Monmouth County Sheriff 's Office after the indictment. State Superior Court Judge Francis P. DeStefano set her bail at $250,000.

Hentges' husband, Robert, said Monday night that his wife was supposed to be in the room with the patient in order to relieve the other nurse.

"My wife has vehemently denied these allegations," he said. "They are not true. She has a completely unblemished nursing career and the same cannot be said about her accuser."

Robert Hentges referred any other questions to attorney Alton D. Kenney, who is representing his wife.

So far, authorities have not recovered any evidence of any other cases associated with Hentges, but the investigation is ongoing, Valentin said.

Flamenbaum died from the acute effects of an unprescribed paralytic drug, which was given to him without simultaneous artificial respiratory support, according to the results of an autopsy performed by Monmouth County Chief Medical Examiner Jay A. Peacock.

Flamenbaum, who had a long history of heart disease, went into cardiac arrest en route to the hospital from a rehabilitation facility on April 13, 2007, authorities said.

He was placed on a respirator after doctors determined he had suffered hypoxic encephalopathy. He was admitted to the CTICU unit. Doctors said his condition was terminal and his family decided to withdraw life-sustaining efforts, according to Valentin's office.

Flamenbaum continued to breathe after the respirator was removed. A nurse who had the primary responsibility for his care left the room to take a lunch break. When she returned, Hentges was in the patient's room. Flamenbaum was still breathing on his own when the treating nurse first returned, Valentin said.

But his vital signs rapidly declined and he was pronounced dead at 1:27 p.m. The treating nurse became concerned and told a supervisor, who then told the hospital administration. The hospital contacted Neptune Township police on April 16, 2007, authorities said.

Both the prosecutor's office and Neptune police then began an investigation, which culminated in Hentges' indictment this week.

Hentges had worked in Jersey Shore's Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for 11 years, according to a statement released Monday by hospital President Steven G. Littleson.

Littleson described Hentges as an "experienced and skilled professional" who met all the standards of an outstanding nurse.

"At the time of hire and during all previous background checks, the nurse's record was without issue or incident," Littleson said.

The hospital has cooperated with authorities since the allegations were announced, he said.

"We are reassured that our internal reporting processes related to patient safety worked and that our culture is such that team members are encouraged to alert administration if they believe something irregular or suspicious has occurred," Littleson said.

If convicted, Hentges faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years without parole, and a maximum sentence of life in prison, with a 30-year period of parole ineligibility, Valentin said.

Anyone with any information about Hentges' actions as a registered nurse should call Detective Daniel Baldwin at the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 800-533-7443, and/or Neptune Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Force at 732-988-8000.