The three-paragraph death notice in Carla DelVecchio's hometown paper last Dec. 12 says the 29-year-old registered nurse died "suddenly" at the Ann Arbor hospital complex where she worked.
UM Hospital nurse Carla DelVecchio, 29, is survived by her parents and other relatives.
An autopsy report obtained by The Ann Arbor News now explains the circumstances of the Westland woman's death, John Counts reports:
DelVecchio died from a mix of the opiate fentanyl and the benzodiazepine midazolam, which are frequently used together to sedate patients before surgeries.
U-M police said Friday a bag of fentanyl that had been checked out for a patient was found with DelVecchio.
Police also said she had checked out both fentanyl and midazolam throughout her shift. . . .
DelVecchio was a nurse in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit [at UM Hospital]. . . . She was found dead around 9:15 a.m. Dec. 6 in a locked bathroom at the Neuroscience Hospital. . . .
Doctors believe the death occurred approximately 24 hours prior to the discovery of her body. . . . According to the autopsy, a syringe was also found in the bathroom and there were more than 15 needle marks on various parts of the body.
"Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opiate analgesic similar to, but more potent than, morphine," according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Street names for the drug include Apache, China girl, China white, dance fever, friend, goodfella, jackpot, murder 8, TNT, as well as Tango and Cash.
