Detectives investigating the suspicious deaths of two women at a Ballina nursing home have charged a former nurse with their deaths and will apply for the woman to be extradited to NSW from Victoria tomorrow.
On Saturday May 10, police and emergency services were called to St Andrews Nursing Home on Bentinck Street after the two residents, 77-year-old Isobella Spencer and 82-year-old Marie Darragh, were found unconscious in their beds by staff.
Both women were pronounced dead prior to the arrival of emergency services.
Strike Force Odimi, comprising detectives from the Homicide Squad and police from Richmond Local Area Command, was immediately formed to investigate the deaths.
An assault on a third resident of the home– an 88-year-old woman – is also being examined.
Around 11am today (Monday 7th July) Victoria Police arrested a 46-year-old woman – a former nurse at the home – at Seaspray, near Sale, in Victoria.
NSW Homicide Squad detectives intend to charge the woman in relation to the deaths of the 77-year-old and 82-year-old women, as well as the assault of the 88-year-old woman.
She has since been transported to Melbourne, where she will remain in police custody overnight, before appearing in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Tuesday 8 July).
NSW Police will provide further information tomorrow, after the woman has appeared in court in Melbourne
