Marianne Bower, 68, died on September 28, 2021, while a resident at Belair Health and Rehabilitation Center in Lower Burrell. Her death was first attributed to respiratory arrest after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis, but the family later alleged foul play and filed a wrongful death lawsuit in October 2023.

The lawsuit accuses nurse Heather Pressdee, then in a management role at Belair, of administering a lethal dose of insulin to Bower despite Bower not being diabetic. The family’s attorney said Pressdee allegedly confessed to giving the insulin. The complaint also alleges the facility knew of prior abusive conduct by Pressdee at other facilities and that coworkers had reported concerns about the amount of time Pressdee spent with Bower, but management took no action.

At the time the lawsuit was filed, Pressdee was already facing criminal charges in connection with alleged insulin overdoses at Quality Life Services in Chicora that prosecutors say killed two patients and attempted to kill a third. No criminal charges had been announced in Bower’s case as of the lawsuit filing. Have readers who knew Marianne or worked at Belair come forward with any relevant information?