Nurse convicted of murder has license revoked: AG

Katie Rosendale
·2 min read
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LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — A nurse who was high on methamphetamine when her 3-year-old patient died under her care has permanently lost her nursing license, according to the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

The Michigan Board of Nursing Disciplinary Subcommittee voted on Nov. 21 to permanently revoke the registered nursing license of 43-year-old Judith Sobol, previously of South Haven, the AG’s office said Wednesday in a release.

Sobol was convicted of second-degree murder by a Berrien County jury, according to the office. In May, she was sentenced to 30 to 75 years in prison.

In June 2022, the AG’s office said Sobol showed up for her overnight shift under the influence of meth. Sobol was providing care for a 3-year-old girl who was on a ventilator.

In the early morning, the girl’s parents found Sobol incoherent and their child unresponsive, with her trachea tube disconnected, the Michigan Department of Attorney General said. Resuscitation efforts were not successful.

The nurse later admitted using meth to Coloma Township officers, and investigators found meth pipes and a container of crystal meth in her purse, according to the attorney general’s office.

AG: Nurse high on meth when child dies in her care

“This was a tragic murder, and our hearts go out to the victim’s family who lost their child,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a release. “In addition to her very lengthy prison sentence, Sobol will never practice healthcare again.”

Before Sobol was convicted of second-degree murder, the AG’s office issued an administrative complaint against her based on the alleged misconduct, and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs summarily suspended Sobol’s nursing license, according to the release. In February, the Board of Nursing Disciplinary Subcommittee revoked her license and issued a $150,000 fine. But although the subcommittee imposed the longest period of revocation it legally could, the AG’s office said Sobol still had the opportunity to petition for reinstatement after waiting three years and paying the fine.

After Sobol’s conviction, the Department of Attorney General in August issued a second administrative complaint against Sobol. This prompted the Board of Nursing Disciplinary Subcommittee to permanently revoke her nursing license in November.

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