Doctor facing charges following patient's fatal overdose

January 14, 2018 03:54 PM

A Pennsylvania doctor stands accused of over-prescribing opioids that authorities say caused two siblings he was treating to overdose, including one who died.

State authorities say Henry Dela Torre is charged with violations of the controlled substances act, Medicaid fraud and related offenses. It wasn't known Sunday if the 68-year-old Du Bois resident has retained an attorney.

Authorities say the probe into Dela Torre started in August 2016 after a female patient fatally overdosed. Punxsutawney police found multiple bottles of prescription opioids in the woman's name, which police say were prescribed by Dela Torre.

The woman's brother overdosed the following month on opioids prescribed by Dela Torre, authorities said, but he was revived by emergency responders.