Nurse to face murder charge in patient's death

ST. LOUIS -- A nurse was charged Monday with first-degree murder for allegedly administering an overdose of drugs that killed an elderly, dying woman. The victim's son criticized the decision to file charges and said he believed the nurse acted out of mercy.

Daillyn Pavia, 31, of Granite City, Ill., a 10-year nursing veteran, administered drugs that killed Julia Dawson, 86, shortly after Dawson arrived at St. Louis University Hospital on May 5, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce said.

A hospital spokesman said Pavia hasn't worked at the hospital since authorities learned of the allegation, though he declined to say if she was fired.

Joyce said there was no indication that the nurse was involved in other deaths.

Dawson had suffered a stroke at her home and was taken first to another hospital, then transferred unconscious to St. Louis University Hospital. There, she was placed on life support.

Pavia, acting on her own, gave Dawson more than 15 times the maximum dosage of morphine that had been prescribed, according to documents filed by the circuit attorney's office.

When Dawson didn't die from the morphine overdose, Pavia gave her Propofol, a sedative for which no prescription had been ordered.

Dawson died about 10 minutes later.