Dr. Ortiz was accused of injecting drugs into five IV bags and putting them in a warming bin in August 2022. Four patients suffered cardiac emergencies. He is also suspected in 13 other unexplained emergencies between May and August 2022 but was charged with tampering causing serious bodily injury to only four patients.
The investigation began after the 2022 death of anesthesiologist Melanie Kaspar, MD. Her death was ruled to be from the effects of bupivacaine; she allegedly took an IV bag home with her when she was ill to rehydrate, inserted the IV into her vein, had a serious cardiac event and died. Dr. Ortiz is implicated, but not charged, in the death of Dr. Kaspar.
