Elderly German woman allegedly turned off hospital roommate’s oxygen machine because it ‘disturbed’ her

A 72-year-old woman in Germany has been arrested after she reportedly switched off a hospital roommate’s ventilator on two occasions because she found its sound annoying.

The woman is facing charges of attempted manslaughter after intentionally turning the machine of twice. She was arrested in Mannheim on Tuesday.

It is not known whether the two women knew each other.

Authorities said the suspect allegedly turned off a woman’s ventilator and then, despite staff informing her that ventilator was crucial for the patient, switched it off again in the evening.

The Mannheim public prosecutor’s office and Mannheim police released a joint press release saying that the woman switched off the ventilator before 8 p.m. local time, after saying she “felt disturbed by the noise coming from the oxygen device.”

“Although the suspect was informed by the hospital staff that the oxygen supply was a vital measure, she is said to have switched off the device again around 9pm,” the statement said.

The 79-year-old patient had to be revived by hospital staff, authorities confirmed. Although her life was not in immediate danger, she still required intensive care.

The suspect appeared before a judge on Wednesday and remains in jail.