By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com
A registered nurse who was in charge of health care at an assisted living facility has been sentenced to 10 months in Placer County Jail and placed on three years probation for stealing prescribed medication from her elderly patients.
Placer County Superior Court Judge Frances Kearney on Wednesday also gave Marlene Delp (left), 64, a three-year suspended prison sentence and banned her from providing health care to anyone during the three years on probation.
Several grown children of the elderly victims spoke to the court about the negative impact that Delp's crime had on their mothers, according to a Placer County District Attorney's Office news release.
Terry Humphrey said her family members placed their 87-year-old mother at the facility, known as The Terraces, after they met Delp and put their trust in her. Humphrey said they were impressed with Delp's positive attitude.
But she said the family became concerned about the care after their mother, who suffers from dementia, twice dislocated her hip and developed shingles, which caused her considerable pain.
Later, Humphrey said, they learned that Delp had been stealing her mother's pain pills.
In October, Delp entered pleas of no contest to two felony counts - cruelty to a dependent adult and possession of a controlled substance.
During the sentencing, Delp told the court that she did not plan to return to the profession of being a health care provider, the release states.
While pronouncing the sentence, Judge Kearney said she was troubled by Delp's previous denials that she had any drug addiction problems.
Kearney said Delp can apply for alternative sentencing such as a work project or electronic monitoring after serving the first 150 days of her sentence.
As conditions for her probation, Delp cannot possess any drugs without a prescription and cannot have any contact with her victims or their families. She also is prohibited setting foot at The Terraces, from which she has been fired, the release states.
A representative of the California Board of Registered Nursing attended the sentencing and told the court the Delp is under investigation by the agency, which could revoke her license, a DA spokesman said.
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 321-5287.
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