Investigation into Hawkesbury hospital deaths could take months, OPP say

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say theirinvestigation intoseveral deaths at thehospital inHawkesbury, Ont., could take months.

CBC News has learnedpolice are re-examining the "potentially suspicious" deaths of at least five COVID-19 patientsat the hospital that occurred between March 17 and March 25, including any role medication may have played in those fatalities.

Late last month, Dr. Brian Nadler, 35, was charged with one count of first-degree murderin the death of 89-year-oldAlbert Poidinger, a patient at the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital.

In a news release Thursday, OPP saidautopsies have since been performedon an unspecifiednumber of bodies, but analysis and toxicology reports could take months to complete.

Nadlerremainsin custody. Hisnext court appearance is scheduled for April 20.

TheHawksbury and District General Hospital is about halfway between Ottawa and Montreal.

Nadler had been living inDollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., near Montreal. Police said Thursday he also lived part time in L'Orignal, Ont., just west of Hawkesbury.