A 65-year-old Sun Lakes woman faces a possible charge of attempted first-degree murder after police said she tried to inject feces into the IV of her husband, who was recovering from surgery.
Rose Mary Vogel was in a Chandler Regional Medical Center recovery room with her husband about 1:30 p.m. Thursday after he underwent surgery on his heart, according to a Chandler police report.
Vogel is a retired nurse who had worked at Chandler Regional, police said.
Two nurses walked in and found Vogel handling the IV when an IV pump alarm went off. They said they saw Vogel touching the pump and that Vogel told them the line needed to be flushed, according to the report.
Another nurse found a brown substance in the line, removed it from the patient’s arm and said there was a fecal odor to the line. She capped the line and went for help, according to the report.
When she returned, she found Vogel trying to empty the IV bag into the trash, but the nurse grabbed it away from her, according to the report.
The substance was tested in a hospital lab and was positive for traces of fecal matter.
Vogel was arrested initially for aggravated assault, but a search of her purse turned up three syringes, two still containing fluid, and a third with what appeared to be traces of feces, according to the report. The charges were upgraded to attempted first-degree murder.
Vogel’s bond was set at $100,000 and she has been ordered to stay away from her husband.