Norristown Nurse to Stand Trial for Alleged Patient Neglect

A former nurse will stand trial in Norristown on charges he allegedly allowed an elderly patient to turn blue and didn't reconnect her ventilator in order to watch her suffer.

Jury selection will begin Dec. 6 in Norristown the case against 44-year-old Abiodun Oke.

He has pleaded not guilty to neglect and endangerment charges in the August 2009 incident at Aristacare at Meadow Springs in Plymouth Meeting outside Philadelphia.

The dementia patient's ventilator became detached and an alarm went off.

A respiratory therapist told police she rushed to the elderly woman's room and found Oke standing there. She said he told her that he wanted to see the woman suffer.

The patient survived.

Oke said the patient pushed him as he tried to help her.