A Vancouver mother visiting her terminally ill son at a Pennsylvania hospital has been accused of injecting herself with the boy’s drugs.
Karen Remsing of Vancouver was charged over the weekend with child endangerment, reckless endangerment, theft, criminal mischief, and committing prohibitive acts including possession of the prescription medication. Authorities say the 42-year-old mother was visiting her 15-year-old son at UPMC’s Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh when she unhooked his intravenous line, siphoned out a sedative using a syringe and injected herself with it.
Authorities say Remsing then reconnected the IV line and left an air bubble in the tube which put her son in further danger.
Remsing is being held in the Allegheny County Jail and her preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday. It wasn’t immediately known if she had an attorney.
Remsing’s husband, Richard Remsing, told TV station WPXI of Pittsburgh that he and his son moved to Pittsburgh 10 years ago so the boy could be treated while his wife stayed in Washington to work. He said the boy needs an intestine transplant and is on life support.
Workers at Children’s Hospital found Karen Remsing slumped over a couch in her son’s room, authorities said. The workers called police, who said they found used needles in the trash and blood on a counter in the room and on Remsing’s clothes.
The hospital has barred Remsing from returning. A hospital spokesman didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail sent Monday seeking an update on the boy’s condition.
Police said Karen Remsing admitted to being depressed and a recovering drug addict with two years sobriety, according to wpxi.com.
Richard Remsing said his son was up for an intestine transplant, but it didn’t go through. He said the hospital staff loves the boy and that they’ve worked together to raise thousands of dollars.
He also said his wife’s birthday was Sunday and that she and the boy’s two brothers flew in to be with the boy. He said it was an extremely difficult time for the family, even before last night’s events unfolded.
The Columbian’s efforts to reach family members in Vancouver for comment were unsuccessful.
