A 72-year-old woman was arrested after she allegedly switched off a hospital roommate’s ventilator — twice — because she was annoyed by the sound it made, authorities in Germany said Thursday.
The woman was jailed on suspicion of attempted manslaughter following the incident at a hospital in the southwestern city of Mannheim on Tuesday evening.
Police and prosecutors said in a statement that the suspect is alleged to have switched off a 79-year-old woman’s ventilator “after feeling disturbed by the noise coming from the oxygen device.”
Despite then being told by staff it was vital for the patient, she switched it off again later in the evening.
The older patient had to be revived, authorities said.
“The woman is now out of danger, but still needs intensive care,” officials said in the statement.
The suspect was brought before a judge on Wednesday and taken to jail.
