Accused doc’s wife among nurses named in wrongful-death suit

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A lawsuit alleges an Ohio hospital patient was given a lethal painkiller overdose in 2015 by a nurse now married to the doctor who ordered that dose and is under investigation.

The Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System found now-fired Dr. William Husel (HYOO’-suhl) ordered potentially fatal doses for at least 28 patients.

Lawyers for the 43-year-old Husel aren’t commenting.

Mount Carmel apologized and put 23 pharmacists, nurses and managers on leave pending investigation. It won’t say whether they include Mariah Baird, who married Husel in 2017.

An updated wrongful-death lawsuit over the March 2015 death of 65-year-old Jan Thomas alleges Baird administered a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Court records list no lawyer for Baird. Phone numbers associated with her weren’t accepting calls Tuesday.