Nurse accused of stealing a patient’s medicines and household batteries in multiple counts

WELLS COUNTY, Indiana (WANE) — When questioned by a detective, the woman said yes, she had used marijuana from time to time.

And yes, she was on prescription drugs.

But the 34-year-old nurse denied stealing drugs, although officers found a bottle of nerve pain pills at her home that appeared to belong to someone else.

When asked if she had a drug problem, the woman said she didn’t know.

That emerges from Wells Circuit Court documents detailing charges against Miranda Kahn, who now faces charges of stealing medication from a patient at a nursing home where she worked, hitting the father of her child and, in three separate counts, the extending over two counties of violating a protection order.

Kahn’s legal troubles began one night last December when the Huntington County sheriff’s deputy came to her home for a home visit.

The MP later wrote in his report that he met the father of Kahn’s 4-year-old daughter, who was holding the girl in his arms. The girl had multicolored dyes and shaving cream on her skin, and flour was strewn throughout the house, court documents said.

Kahn’s friend told the deputy that Kahn hit him while holding their child, bit him in the head, and that the child’s skin and the condition of the home were a result of her inability to properly parent, court documents said .

Initially, Kahn denied hitting her boyfriend. However, her friend pointed out a bump on the back of his head, which he claimed was from her bite, and a red mark under his chin, where he said Kahn hit him, according to court documents.

Kahn’s friend also showed the deputy a photo on his cell phone of a nearly full bottle of pills that was in the apartment but had a different name than Kahn’s on the label. He said Kahn had a drug problem and that she stole the pills for seizures and nerve pain while she worked at a Markle nursing home.

When the deputy found the bottle at the apartment, the label was partially torn off and there were fewer pills inside, court documents said.

Marijuana and drug paraphernalia were also found in the home.

The deputy arrested Kahn on two counts of domestic battery and three counts of unlawful possession of a prescription drug. She was also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Kahn was booked into Huntington Prison that night, but investigators also reached out to the Wells County Sheriff’s Department to pursue a possible theft from the Markle Health and Rehabilitation nursing home where Kahn worked.

Officials from Markle Health and Rehabilitation told investigators in court documents that they suspected Kahn had stolen medication while working at the facility, that one of the other nurses had advised them that Kahn was not following proper procedures when handling medication had and that she hadn’t worked there for a while.

The name on the label of the pill bottle found at Kahn’s home matched a patient who had stayed at the nursing home while Kahn worked there, court documents said.

According to court documents, officers were able to show investigators that Kahn was one of two nurses who worked the night the woman’s medication arrived at the home.

Kahn’s boyfriend also told investigators she would steal medication from the nursing home and hide it in her bra before going home. He claimed in court documents that Kahn refused to go to rehab because of drug issues and that she was trying to self-medicate with prescription drugs, court documents say.

Investigators later found text messages between Kahn and her father, according to court documents.

A message from Kahn to her father read:

“I have an opportunity to sell some things I took from work and get some, but I thought I’d try to be honest first; But k cool dad.”

She later messaged her father again, writing, “I’m going to leave (my daughter) for a bit of home to sell these and get some $$$.”

Her father replied: “Don’t lose your job because you stole jobs!” (sic).

After being released from the Huntington County jail on the domestic battery charges, Kahn was arrested about three weeks later on a privacy invasion charge for violating a protective order issued against her.

Last week, Wells County prosecutors filed a Level 5 felony for disrupting medical services when the defendant is a licensed healthcare provider, and a Level 6 felony for unlawful possession or use of a prescription drug, and a felony for theft.

After her arrest, she posted bail and is now at large as her three cases weave through the legal system.

According to Indiana Professional Licensing Agency records, Kahn has held licenses from Registered Nurse to Certified Nursing Assistant over the years and has never faced disciplinary action.

Amid her criminal proceedings, Kahn has petitioned Huntington Circuit Court to draft a custody agreement between her and the father of her child.

She is expected in court on February 8.