A woman’s erratic behavior on the job helped an employer uncover alleged prescription drug abuse at a local nursing home.
Last week, the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office charged Shara Logan, 35, of Kansas City, Mo. with a felony of stealing a controlled substance. She allegedly took medications including Oxycodone, Oxycotin, Hydrocodone, Dalaudid and Percoct from patients at Riverside Nursing and Rehab in Riverside, Mo.
Logan was employed at the facility through a temp agency since January.
The investigation started in late March after Logan began acting strangely following her overnight shift. She remained on site for three hours after she was supposed to leave.
Logan submitted to a urine test at that time that came back positive for cocaine.
With the suspect’s consent, an officer conducted a search of Logan’s vehicle and recovered cocaine, marijuana, various pills, a synthetic urine box and paperwork from the facility, according to court records. In an interview, she allegedly admitted to using cocaine prior to her shift and stated she had stolen pills from at least seven nursing homes she had worked at previously.
Logan told the officers she took medications that patients either refused or were asleep when she attempted to give it to them.