Missouri

Hospital nurse stole fentanyl from 133 vials for personal use, Missouri cops say

The woman is accused of stealing 266 milliliters of fentanyl.
The woman is accused of stealing 266 milliliters of fentanyl. Unsplash via Hush Naidoo Jade Photography

A University of Missouri Hospital nurse is accused of giving patients their prescribed fentanyl, then stealing what was left over for herself, authorities say.

From January to May, Amanda Woodard would use a syringe to take the remaining fentanyl out of the vials, according to a probable cause statement.

She took 266 milliliters — roughly 18 tablespoons — from 133 partially-used vials at the Columbia hospital, police said.

Woodard, who now lives in Oklahoma, took the fentanyl “for her own personal use,” according to the court documents.

Police did not say how Woodard was caught. It’s unclear what unit she worked in.

Woodard was charged with a felony count of stealing.

A University of Missouri spokesperson said Woodard began working at the health care facility as a contracted agency nurse in November 2024. She was employed by the hospital from May 18 to June 19.

The spokesperson did not comment on the stealing allegations.

If you or a loved one shows signs of substance use disorder, you can seek help by calling the national hotline at 1-800-662-4357 or find treatment using SAMHSA's online locator.

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Mike Stunson
Lexington Herald-Leader
Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. He is a 2011 Western Kentucky University graduate who has previously worked at the Paducah Sun and Madisonville Messenger as a sports reporter and the Lexington Herald-Leader as a breaking news reporter. 
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