West Haven Nurse Ingested Narcotics Meant For Dying Veterans: Feds

WEST HAVEN, CT — A West Haven woman has pleaded guilty to a federal charge in connection with accusations that she ingested narcotics that were intended for dying veterans while she was working as a nurse at the West Haven VA Medical Center, according to officials.

Tara Severino, 58, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Hartford federal court to obtaining controlled substances by fraud or subterfuge, an offense that carries a maximum term of four years in prison, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced in a news release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from January to July 2023, Severino was employed as a registered nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Haven and was assigned to the VA’s Intensive Care Unit for sick or dying patients.

While employed at the VA ICU, Severino ingested fentanyl, hydromorphone, and oxycodone intended for patients in her care, according to officials.

“In some instances, Severino ingested the ‘waste’ of a substance, meaning she administered part of the substance to a patient and ingested the remaining portion not used by the patient,” officials wrote in the news release. “In one instance, Severino repeatedly introduced fentanyl into the system of a braindead patient after claiming she observed him in pain and having a seizure. She introduced fentanyl to this patient approximately 19 times over a nine-day period so that she could divert some for herself.

“In other instances, Severino ingested doses of hydromorphone and fentanyl meant for dying veterans. This affected treatment decisions made by other medical staff who believed that the patients had been receiving, and were unresponsive to, their prescribed narcotics.”

In another instance, officials said Severino volunteered to care for a patient not formally assigned to her, and diverted pain medication from him before he died.

“In order to cover up her crimes, Severino misrepresented in VA medical records and tracking systems that the narcotics been properly administered to the patient or, in the case of excess narcotics, had been properly disposed of,” officials wrote.

Severino, who was released after posting a $25,000 bond, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12.

“If you or someone you know may have been victimized by the actions of the Tara Severino while she was employed at the VA, please contact Special Agent Abraham Raymond at 202-262-2337 or abraham.raymond@va.gov,” officials wrote in the news release.