‘People that can’t talk didn’t get sh*t’: Text messages shed light on nursing home abuse case, hint at misused drugs and narcotics sales

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. (WRIC) -- 8News has obtained access to disturbing new details about an elder abuse case at Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Text messages between two defendants prior to their arrests detail name-calling, mishandling of drugs, apparent narcotic sales and more.

8News has covered this case since last December when nearly 20 employees were arrested for their alleged roles leading up to the death of a patient last fall.

While more than a dozen employees facing charges relating to this case appeared in court last Wednesday, March 26, prosecutors confirm some of those defendants could be facing additional charges.

8News went to the Colonial Heights courthouse on Monday, March 31, to obtain a copy of three recently filed search warrants. These represent a first look at new evidence, so we are breaking down the key takeaways the public should know as this case continues developing.

Detectives looked through two nurses' cell phones. Because, at this point, everything remains "alleged," we will call them "Nurse A" and "Nurse B."

Investigators call text messages "insulting"

Investigators found texts believed to be insulting a patient. Nurse B texted Nurse A, "Don't let that notty head, pepper and garlic smelling, boiled egg with legs shape b*tch get to you." The detective noted that he believed this to be in reference to an elderly patient receiving care at the center because no staffer names were used and the message was followed by an image of a patient's "COVID order."

Also in the messages, Nurse B seemed to admit to not giving patients their medication writing, "The people that can't talk, didn't get sh*t." Nurse A appeared to agree with the statement adding the patients were "Gonna be okay."

Misuse and mishandling of medication

Messages also reveal Nurse A removed 15 Zofran pills from the center's medication cart and left them in her personal car for Nurse B to pick up, suggestibly for personal use.

Most of the charges so far involved with this case ranged from falsification of documents to elder abuse, but through further investigation outlined in the search warrants 8News picked up, investigators reportedly found residents would allegedly sell narcotics across the street from the center. A detective wrote in the search warrant findings that the patients involved in this possibly brought this money back to facility staff members.

This element alludes to some form of potential illicit narcotic distribution, so our team reached out to the Colonial Heights Commonwealth's Attorney's office and is awaiting clarification on whether this could relate to future charges.

Improper documentation

After moving patients who were "beefing," the nurses told one another to, essentially, lie. Urging the one another to write that there were "no issues" instead of detailing the conflict.

Seemingly against policy, new evidence also revealed that unspecified nurses would text the facility's doctor that they had put in orders for patients without the doctor actually seeing the patient. Ability to do this would depend on whether or not the doctor "liked" or
"trusted" the employee.

Attachments within the warrant paperwork also allege nurses would charge for services that were never provided.

Nurse A is charged with felony abuse of a vulnerable adult resulting in death. Prosecutors dropped their initial misdemeanor charge against Nurse B, but it has been suggested that the Commonwealth would be coming back with more serious charges in light of this new information.