Woman arrested in 2002 Missouri hospital patient’s death

CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say they’ve arrested a former respiratory therapist who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of a patient 20 years ago. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office says deputies in northeastern Kansas arrested 41-year-old Jennifer Hall on Thursday evening, under the name Jennifer Semaboye, of Overland Park, Kansas. She was charged this month in the 2002 death of Fern Franco — one of nine people who died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over several months in 2002. Authorities say Hall worked as a respiratory therapist at the hospital when the patients all died from cardiac collapse. Matthew O’Connor, who has represented Hall in the past, said no evidence exists to connect Hall to the deaths. Hall has previously denied any involvement.