By Cathy Burke (NEWSMAX)
A New York City nurse was arrested Thursday after allegedly stealing a credit card from a patient dying of COVID-19, and then using it to buy gas and groceries.
According to NBC News, Danielle Conti, 43, is facing charges of grand larceny, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. She allegedly swiped the card while her Staten Island University Hospital patient was being treated.
Anthony Catapano, 70, died of COVID-19 on April 12 after a week of treatment at the SIUH, according to a Facebook post by his daughter, Tara Catapano.
She told the news outlet she was shocked when her dad’s American Express statement included gas and grocery charges made during his hospitalization.
“From the very beginning, I knew it was a hospital employee. It would have to be,” she told the news outlet. “But I even told someone, ‘It couldn’t be a doctor or nurse.’ Those words actually left my mouth.”
“This was someone who was supposed to care for my father,” she said. “She went in there and gave him his medicine and then, what, went for his wallet? I can’t even wrap my head around it.”
“I wanted the story to be out there because I wanted people to be aware that this was happening to people,” she told NBC News. “This could be happening to your mother or your father, and I don’t want that.”
The hospital said Conti has been temporarily suspended and faces termination.
