The Death Shift

With multiple new murder charges brought in 2018, this updated edition of THE DEATH SHIFT chronicles one of the most shocking and insidious cases in the history of medicine: the crimes of Nurse Genene Jones, hidden by a hospital for years, that prosecutors believe account for the deaths of up to 60 Texas children in the early 1980s

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On the heals of multiple new murder charges brought in 2018, here's an updated edition of the classic account of arguably the most shocking and insidious case in the history of medicine: the crimes of one nurse that were hidden by a hospital for years.



It’s 1980, and Genene Jones is working the 3 to 11 PM shift in the pediatric ICU in San Antonio's county hospital. As the weeks go by, infants under her care begin experiencing unexpected complications—and dying—in alarming numbers, prompting rumors that there is a murderer among the staff. Her eight-hour shift would come to be called “the death shift.” This strange epidemic would continue unabated for more than a year, before Jones is quietly sent off—with a good recommendation—to a rural pediatric clinic. There, eight children under her care mysteriously stopped breathing—and a 15-month-old baby girl died.



In May 1984, Jones was finally arrested, leading to a trial that revealed not only her deeply disturbed mind and a willingness to kill, but a desire to play "God" with the lives of the children under her care. More shocking still, it was discovered that the hospital had shredded records and remained silent about Jones’s horrific deeds, obscuring the full extent of her spree and prompting grieving parents to ask: Why?



Elkind chronicles Jones's rampage, her trials, and the chilling aftermath of one of the most horrific crimes in America, and turns his piercing gaze onto those responsible for its cover-up. It is a tale with special relevance today, as prosecutors, distraught parents, and victims' advocates struggle to keep Jones behind bars, despite her scheduled mandatory release from a Texas prison in early 2018.