A former nurse at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Houston has been indicted on charges of creating false records, following a patient's death, as announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei in a recent statement. Christiana Ogbonnaya, aged 54 and a resident of Richmond, is now facing up to five years in prison if convicted, with a potential fine that could reach up to $250,000, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The indictment, which was unsealed on May 7, details how Ogbonnaya, while working a shift between July 26 and July 27, 2024, reportedly made false entries in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System claiming that she had made several observations of the male patient, when in fact it's alleged she hadn't made contact with him during those times medical personnel found the patient unresponsive the following morning and he was later pronounced deceased, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation, led by the VA-Office of Inspector General, is part of a larger effort to ensure accountability and trust in the healthcare administered to the nation's veterans. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenón-Matos is currently tasked with prosecuting the case against Ogbonnaya, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
