Nurse in Germany accused with trying to kill five infants

"In the early hours, five infants, aged between one day and one month, suffered shortness of breath almost simultaneously," Ulm police chief Bernhard Weber said in a news conference last Wednesday.

The event had happened on December 20th.

Medical staff initially thought that there was an infection spreading through the unit and conducted urine tests on the sick infants.  The tests ruled out infection, but revealed the presence of morphine, even in two babies that it had not been prescribed to.

Morphine is commonly stocked in neonatal departments as a way to treat babies born to addicted mothers.

Thanks to swift action by the medical staff at Ulm University all of the babies made a full recovery and none are expected to have any long term affects from the attempted poisoning.

An investigation into the staff that had been working during that shift revealed a syringe of morphine-infused milk in the locker of one of the nurses.

That nurse, who has been identified only as "young," has been arrested and is facing multiple counts of attempted manslaughter and grievous bodily harm.  She has denied the charges against her.

Prosecutors state that they feel the woman acted with premeditation.  She is currently undergoing a psychological evaluation.

The hospital said in a statement, “We very much regret that this incident could have happened and we sincerely apologize to the parents and children.”