South Florida ICU nurse arrested for allegedly stealing fentanyl from hospital

A South Florida intensive care unit (ICU) nurse has been arrested on multiple charges after allegedly stealing fentanyl and other drugs from the hospital where she worked, authorities said.

Leah Ann Parra, 40, was taken into custody Tuesday in Palm Beach County. She faces charges including grand theft of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to jail records.

Parra, an ICU nurse at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, came under investigation in August 2023 after the mother of a patient reported suspicious activity. According to an arrest report, the mother saw Parra enter the hospital room under the pretense of checking medication levels but allegedly withdrew medication from a vial and replaced it with an unknown clear liquid.

Another nurse inspected the patient’s fentanyl vial and discovered puncture holes, suggesting the medication had been tampered with, the report stated. When confronted, Parra initially denied any wrongdoing, but a search of her bag allegedly revealed vials of lorazepam and Benadryl, along with syringes.

Parra later admitted to stealing the drugs and expressed a desire to seek help for addiction, according to the report. The hospital’s pharmacy director reviewed the patient’s medication records and found discrepancies in the dosage levels.

Following the incident, Parra was suspended from the hospital pending the outcome of the investigation. She was booked into jail with bond set at $11,000, records show