Luanna N. Burt, 36, was charged with second-degree felony inducing panic after showing up the morning of Oct. 15 at Kettering Medical Center and saying she had been to Africa and had symptoms, Kettering police said.
“It’s not a joking matter in any way, and we want to make sure the public is aware,” said Ron Roberts, public information officer for Kettering police. “You don’t want to go out into hospitals claiming something if you’re shopping for medications. … If you’re doing something like that, you’re going to cause a panic.”
Roberts said Burt, who detectives were searching for Tuesday afternoon, recanted her story and admitted it was a hoax. She was then released from the hospital, but the investigation continued.
“(It) turned out to be a false complaint. The person was not in Africa and did not have any symptoms of Ebola and made up the story to obtain some medications,” Roberts said. “We responded to the call, took a report for inducing panic and at that time, the officers forwarded the report to a detective and the detective presented the case to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s’s Office.”
Prosecutors approved a second-degree felony charge that could lead to a maximum sentence of eight years if Burt is convicted, Roberts said. Burt has a lengthy criminal history, including two 2011 felony cases in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
One of Burt’s felony cases was for grand theft of medical treatment or medication at Miami Valley South. The other 2011 felony case was for illegally acquiring hydromorphone. Burt avoided jail and later was taken off community control in both cases.
Conditions of Burt’s intervention in lieu of conviction in the first 2011 case included Burt paying back $13,267 to Premier Health Partners, that she undergo mental health treatment or counseling and that she take all her prescribed medications.
Officials didn’t know how Burt got to the hospital or if police officers took any extra precautions when they arrived. But Kettering Health Network officials have said health care workers wear personal protective equipment to remain safe when dealing with any legitimate cases of people showing up with symptoms.
Dr. Nancy Pook has said Kettering Health Network staff wear goggles, face-masks and permeable gowns and gloves. Patients suspected of having a certain symptoms are seen in an isolated room with a door to outside.
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