Doctor charged with murder after multiple deaths at Hawkesbury, Ont., hospital

A doctor has been charged with first-degree murder as police investigatemultiple suspicious deathsat the eastern Ontario hospital where he works.

Ontario Provincial Police were called to theHawkesbury and District General Hospital, which is between Ottawa and Montreal, on Thursday evening, police said in a news release.

At a court appearance on Friday,Brian Nadler, 35, who lives in the western Montreal suburb of Dollard-Des-Ormeaux,was charged with one count of first-degree murder.

"Dr. Nadler maintains his innocence and the charges will be rigorously defended," Ottawa defence lawyer Alan Brass told CBCNews.

His next court appearance is scheduled for April 6.

Police didn't say how long the investigation has been going on orhow many deaths are beinginvestigated. Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner is involved, it confirmed in an email.

"At this point in time, while we don't know exactly how big this investigation will be, we are looking at other suspicious deaths that have occurredrecently at the Hawkesbury hospital," said OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson.

"Whether it proves that they are indeed something criminal or not, we will have to wait and see."

He encouraged anyone with information to contact the local detachment.

"We promise we'll conduct a complete and thoroughinvestigation that you deserve to make sure that you in the Hawkesbury area and everyone elsegets the answers," Dickson said.

The hospital said in a statement that all patient services are being maintained and all appointments are being kept.

"We want to reassure our patients, their families and the community at largethat the hospital site is safe," the statement said.

The hospital said it is working with police and is in touch with the families that have been affected. It's also offering counselling and other services to its staff.

The hospital hasalso been dealing with two active COVID-19 outbreaks.

Ties to Saskatchewan, Alberta

Nadler has been licensed in Ontariosince Feb. 4, 2020. He graduated from Montreal's McGill University in 2010, then went to theUniversity of Alberta for surgery and internal medicine until 2014, according to an online database listing his post-graduate training.

He was a resident at the University of Saskatchewan's medical school from July 2014 to September 2018, theCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan told CBC in an email.

During that time, he faced two unprofessional conduct charges, the college said.

Documents showone charge wasfor allegedly calling a female colleague a "bitch" after an argumentandtelling someone else he "felt like slapping" that colleague. Another charge involvedpatient record-keeping.

The incidents linked to both chargesallegedly occurred the same dayin August2014.

The college said he apologized and tooka pair of courses about ethics and record-keeping. It did not proceed any further with the charges.

From Sept. 24, 2018, to Sept. 23, 2019, Nadler worked as a geriatric fellow at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, the university confirmed in an email.

WATCH | Hawkesburymayor urges calm:

Doctor charged with first-degree murder as police investigate deaths at Hawkesbury hospital

3 years ago

Duration 0:30

Paula Assaly, mayor of Hawkesbury, says the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital remains open as provincial police investigate several suspicious deaths there. Police have charged a doctor with one count of first-degree murder.

The Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, which regulates and investigates doctors, said in a statement it will immediately look into "these extraordinarily disturbing allegations."

Mayor Paula Assalyasked people to remain calm and not be afraid of seeking care at Hawkesbury and District General Hospital.

She also said she didn't know the accused.