A Florida nurse was sentenced to 30 months in prison after court records showed she repeatedly silenced a 3-year-old's oxygen monitor and told it to "shut up."
A Florida nurse was sentenced to 30 months in prison after court records showed she repeatedly silenced a 3-year-old's oxygen monitor and told it to "shut up," according to reports.
Sharlene Pflugrad (Photo: Lee County Sheriff's Office)Online records from Lee County Sheriff's Office show Sharlene Pflugrad, 65, was charged with child neglect.
The Fort Myers News-Press recently reported that Judge Bruce Kyle ordered 30 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and the forfeiture of her nursing license in connection with the case. Pflugrad pleaded no contest in July, the media outlet noted.
The case stems from an overnight shift in Cape Coral in September 2025, per the outlet. The child, who was born prematurely and required oxygen monitoring, had a care plan directing his nurse to provide oxygen, notify his parents, and seek emergency help when his blood-oxygen level fell below 88%, according to court documents reviewed by the Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News.
Investigators reportedly reviewed nearly 150 video clips, with the recordings allegedly showing Pflugrad muting alarms, changing monitor sensors, and telling the device to "shut up" as the child coughed, wheezed, and gasped.
The nurse texted the child's mother photos that showed oxygen readings of 81% and 79%, records stated, per the reports. The mother said she did not see the message until the following morning, the outlets noted.
The parents reportedly found their child still struggling to breathe and called 911 after oxygen failed to restore his levels. Hospital testing found prolonged oxygen deprivation, the outlets reported.
Pflugrad maintained that she believed the readings fluctuated because of a sensor problem. Investigators said testing found no defect in the monitor.
The child survived, but his mother said he has permanent lung scarring and requires daily oxygen therapy.
