DA: Former Upstate nurse took pictures of unconscious patients' ‘intimate body parts'

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – A former Upstate University Hospital nurse has been accused of taking pictures of patients’ “intimate body parts” while they were unconscious.

The Onondaga County District Attorney’s office has charged Kristen Johnson, 26, of Granby Road in Fulton, with two counts of second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony, and one count of second-degree disseminating unlawful surveillance, a misdemeanor.

The DA’s office, along with New York State University Hospital, investigated the case for nine months.

According to court documents, the Fulton woman used her iPhone to record another hospital staff member cleaning a patient's blood and then sent the video to her.

Investigators believe she recorded inappropriate video of two patients.

She was arraigned on Friday afternoon.

Johnson has been released on her own recognizance.

She is scheduled to return to court on June 4.

Johnson has not worked at the hospital since August.

Hospital officials stressed that Johnson's case is not reflective of the more than 2,000 staff members who are "committed to the care and safety of their patients."