Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital has issued a statement following the arrest of 44-year-old Amanda Leeann Porter, of Virginia, who was taken into custody on suspicion of impersonating a registered nurse in Southern California hospitals, including the local Santa Clarita Valley medical institution.
Law enforcement officials initially received a report of a “female who allegedly impersonated a registered nurse at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center,” said a news release issued by Burbank Police Department.
Porter was taken into custody by law enforcement personnel on Nov. 7, on suspicion of felony charges for “impersonating a real registered nurse, who lived out of state … Porter does not hold a nursing license and is on federal probation for a fraud violation committed in the state of Virginia,” said the news release.
During Porter’s time working at Saint Joseph Medical Center, a hospital in Burbank, she oversaw approximately 60 patients from April 8 to May 8 of this year, added the release.
Authorities who investigated the incident learned that Porter continued to obtain employment with other local hospitals in the area using a variety of false identities, the statement added, including HMNH.
“In early October we learned that an employee falsified documents to obtain employment with our hospital,” HMNH Director of Marketing and Public Relations Patrick Moody said in a prepared statement. “Once discovered, we took immediate and appropriate action, including terminating her employment and reporting to regulatory and law enforcement authorities.”
Moody declined to respond to additional questions regarding the incident but said in the statement, “The person in question was in the probationary phase of employment with our organization and under the supervision of a nurse preceptor during this time period. We do not have indication the quality of care patients received was compromised.”
Porter was arraigned and is in custody at the Los Angeles County Central Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood and is being held without bail as of the publication of this story.
According to the Burbank Police Department statement, the L.A. County District Attorney’s office filed felony charges against Porter including identity theft, false impersonation and grand theft.
“Ms. Porter’s alleged actions are deeply troubling and egregious as she deceived patients and medical professionals alike, betraying the trust of those who rely on our medical community in their most vulnerable time of need,” District Attorney Gascón said in a news release late Friday afternoon. “We acknowledge the profound distress that this situation may have caused those who were treated by the defendant. Our office will work relentlessly to hold this individual accountable and ensure that justice is served.”
Porter pleaded not guilty to all charges on Friday, according to Gascón’s statement, which added that Porter faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place Dec. 2 at the L.A. County Burbank courthouse.
“It is believed that Porter may have committed additional similar offenses in the Southern California area during the past year. Please contact your local law enforcement agency or Burbank Police Detective Arias at 818-238-3210 if you have any information about Porter obtaining employment at a medical center in your city. You can remain anonymous,” added the Burbank Police Department statement.
