GREENSBURG, Pa. — Greensburg City Police, working with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, have charged two former hospital employees with taking and sharing inappropriate images and recordings of patients at Independence Health Westmoreland Hospital.
The investigation began in August after the hospital notified authorities of a group text message that allegedly contained images showing improper care of patients. According to investigators, the conduct included still images, video, and audio recordings of elderly patients, some of whom were partially or fully nude.
Police charged Peter Castellano, of Pittsburgh, and Melissa Tompkins, of Whitehall, with several offenses, including disclosing intercepted communications, criminal use of a communication facility, harassment, and invasion of privacy. Independence Health terminated both employees after an internal report of the allegations.
Greensburg Police stated that Castellano photographed or recorded as many as eight patients, while Tompkins allegedly captured images or recordings of four patients. None of the patients had consented to being recorded or photographed.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether further charges are expected as the investigation continues.
