The Duke University Police Department is investigating a recent death at Duke Hospital that might have been a homicide.
Cheryl Suber, 30, was found unconscious in her hospital bed Oct. 5 and died of cardiac arrest despite attempts made by medical staff to resuscitate her. Suber was frequently hospitalized because she had sickle-cell anemia, but the probable cause affidavit filed by DUPD investigators noted that on the day of her death Suber was thought to be in non-life-threatening condition. Suber was observed walking about the hospital unit in good health earlier in the day according to the affidavit, which was filed as part of a search warrant requesting access to hospital video footage.
A police investigation was prompted by the concerns of Dr. Daniel Kaplan, an attending physician who was suspicious of the circumstances surrounding her death, according to the affidavit.
“At the current time, we do not know the cause of death or whether a crime has occurred,” Duke Police Chief John Dailey said in a statement.
Suber’s boyfriend, identified as David Bass, had visited her earlier in the day. In an interview with police described in the affidavit, Bass said he realized something was wrong and immediately notified Kimberly Turnage, a nurse who was working in the hallway.
Turnage found Suber unconscious and without a pulse, the affidavit states. Turnage activated a Code Blue alert and began performing chest compressions on Suber.
It was at this time that Turnage came across an unusual syringe on the bed. Turnage said although the syringe was labeled as normal saline, it was colored and opaque, which raised concerns among the medical staff. No one on the Code Blue team recognized the contents of the syringe, but all of the medical professionals agreed that it was not a medication used in the unit.
A staff member said Bass entered Suber’s room 10 to 20 minutes before the Code Blue alarms went off, according to the affidavit.
A Duke news release noted that the incident appears to be an “isolated case” and that “no medical personnel were involved except in responding appropriately to the situation.”
David Jarmul, associate vice president for Duke News and Communications, and Keith Lawrence, director of media relations, declined to comment beyond the news release.
“Because this is an ongoing investigation and confidential patient information is involved, we are not at liberty to release other details,” the news release noted.
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