WOODSTOCK, Ont. — A nurse accused of killing eight seniors at two long-term care homes in southwestern Ontario has had her case put over to Nov. 18 after a brief court appearance Wednesday morning.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer, 49, was charged last week with eight counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of elderly residents at nursing homes in Woodstock, Ont., and London, Ont.
Police allege Wettlaufer used drugs to kill her victims between 2007 and 2014 while she worked at the facilities as a nurse.
Police say the investigation into the alleged murders was launched on Sept. 29 and Wettlaufer was arrested last Monday.
During Wednesday's court appearance by video from the Vanier Centre for Women in Milton, Ont., Wettlaufer only spoke her name and said "that's it?" before the brief appearance concluded.
The victims in the case have been identified as James Silcox, 84, Maurice Granat, 84, Gladys Millard, 87, Helen Matheson, 95, Mary Zurawinski, 96, Helen Young, 90, Maureen Pickering, 79, Arpad Horvath, 75.
A source familiar with the case has said police began investigating after Wettlaufer provided information to careworkers at a psychiatric hospital in Toronto.
Officials from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health alerted Toronto police that Wettlaufer shared information with hospital staff that caused them "concern," a police source familiar with the investigation told The Canadian Press.
The source said once Toronto police received the information from the hospital, officers interviewed Wettlaufer and found out that the alleged crimes had occurred outside Toronto police's jurisdiction.
That's when Toronto police passed the information to the Ontario Provincial Police and police forces in Woodstock and London, said the source, who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Wettlaufer entered into a peace bond in early October as police feared she would "commit a serious personal injury" and had restrictions placed on her by a court.
She was required to "continue any treatment for mental health" with any physician to whom she was referred by her family doctor or "representatives of CAMH."
Wettlaufer was also not allowed to possess or consume alcohol and had to obey a curfew and reside in either her apartment or with her parents in Woodstock between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., except to attend alcoholics anonymous meetings, according to terms laid out in the peace bond.
She was also ordered not to possess insulin and was not allowed to work as a caregiver.
Records from the College of Nurses of Ontario show Wettlaufer was first registered as a nurse in August 1995 but resigned Sept. 30 of this year. She is no longer a registered nurse.
