A NURSE accused of smothering a frail pensioner to death in a South Yorkshire care home told a young care assistant to lie about how she'd died, a court heard.
Whistleblower Amy Richmond was working her third shift at Layden Court residential home in Maltby, Rotherham, when she discovered 86-year-old Elsie Skelton dead in her bed.
Miss Richmond told jurors at Sheffield Crown Court nurse Nchokhoa Mtetwa acted calmly as she tried to resuscitate Mrs Skelton.
Then Mtetwa told her: "We will just have to say she went while we were washing her. They will be on our backs for the rest of our days."
Miss Richmond said: "I was shocked. I wasn't sure what to do. I had never been in a situation like that. I had never seen a dead body before. I just went along with what she said because she was more experienced."
Asked about Mtetwa's manner she said: "She was calm."
Mtetwa, aged 61, of Tennyson Road, Maltby, is accused of murdering the immobile pensioner who needed 24-hour care and had Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimers.
She had been left alone with Mrs Skelton between 4am and 5.15am on October 16 2006 while Miss Richmond covered on another ward.
A post mortem examination revealed Mrs Skelton had died of a broken neck - consistent with her being smothered.
Describing the moment Mtetwa found Mrs Skelton, Miss Richmond said: "She said 'oh no' and then walked out of the room. The tone of her voice made me think Elsie needed changing. Then, after I pulled back the covers and saw the amount of fluid, I thought maybe she was dead."
Miss Richmond said Mtwetwa gave the pensioner oxygen and five chest compressions before making one attempt at mouth to mouth resuscitation before calling for emergency assistance.
When Mtetwa was asked what had happened by colleague Lesley Young, she told her Mrs Skelton died while being washed.
Miss Richmond said: "I was still shocked. I just picked the laundry up and got out of the room."
After her shift Miss Richmond rang her line manager and told him what had happened.
She said: "I told him we had found Elsie dead and I had been told to lie about it.
"I don't know what happened but I know that she didn't die when we were washing her so I wasn't about to say she did."
The trial continues.
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