Woman, 87, dies as nurse refuses to perform CPR

A nurse’s refusal to perform CPR on a dying 87-year-old woman, despite desperate pleas from an emergency dispatcher, has triggered a criminal investigation.

Lorraine Bayless collapsed in the dining room of a retirement home in Bakersfield, California, that offers many levels of care. She resided in the independent living building, which state officials said is like a senior apartment complex and does not operate under licensing oversight.

A harrowing seven-minute, 16-second 911 call raised concerns that policies at senior living facilities could prevent staff from intervening in medical emergencies and prompted demands for legislation to prevent a repeat of what happened.