Roxborough Nurse Pleads Guilty After Patient Dies

UPPER ROXBOROUGH, PA — A nurse who had been charged in connection with the death of an elderly patient at the Cathedral Village in Upper Roxborough nearly four years ago has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with the case.

Christann Gainey, 34, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to neglect of a care-dependent person and tampering with records in connection to the death of Herbert R. McMaster, Sr., 84, who had been left in the lobby of the nursing facility on April 12, 2018 and died hours after suffering a fall and sustaining a head injury.

The office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the guilty plea on Tuesday.

McMaster was the father of H.R. McMaster, Jr., who once served as former President Donald Trump's national security advisor.

"The defendant has now been held accountable for her actions that led to the tragic death of Mr. McMaster," Shapiro said in a statement. "We have several active and ongoing investigations into long term care facilities and nursing homes across Pennsylvania, and will hold anyone who knowingly neglects a care-dependent person in Pennsylvania accountable."

Gainey, Shapiro said, has been sentenced to six months of house arrest and may not seek reinstatement of her nursing license or work in a care facility or home care setting during her five-year suspension period.

According to Shapiro's office, investigators determined that Gainey failed to administer a total of eight required neurological checks to McMaster after he had an unwitnessed fall at the facility.

McMaster was found dead around 7 the next morning and his death was attributed to a subdural hematoma, something authorities said could have been avoided if McMaster was property treated.

Shapiro's office said that Gainey had provided falsified documentation to Cathedral Village staff stating that she had performed neurological evaluations on McMaster throughout the evening, but that was ultimately discovered to be a lie.

Shapiro stated that had the proper evaluations been performed, McMaster could have possibly undergone the proper treatment for his head injuries, something that could have helped save his life.