A Florida in-home nurse has been sentenced to 30 months in state prison after pleading no contest to felony child neglect in a case involving a premature baby who experienced a serious medical emergency while in her care.
Lee County Judge Bruce Kyle imposed the sentence on Sept. 22, followed by another 30 months of probation. Sharlene Janet Pflugrad must also complete 100 hours of community service and permanently give up her ability to practice nursing, according to the latest court reporting on the case.
The case stems from an overnight nursing assignment in Cape Coral on Sept. 15, 2025. The child had been born at 24 weeks and required continuous monitoring because of his medical condition.
According to investigators, the baby’s care plan called for oxygen to be administered when his oxygen saturation fell below 88%. Pflugrad was also expected to alert the child’s parents, contact the nursing agency and seek emergency assistance when necessary.
During the overnight shift, investigators said the monitor recorded oxygen levels of 81% and 79%. Pflugrad sent photographs of those readings to the child’s mother at about 11:24 p.m., but the parents did not see the message until the following morning.
When the parents checked on their son, they found him having difficulty breathing. They attempted to improve his oxygen levels before calling 911 after four liters of supplemental oxygen failed to bring the readings back into a safe range.
Police later reviewed 147 clips from surveillance cameras inside the home. Investigators said the footage showed Pflugrad repeatedly silencing the pulse oximeter’s alarms, changing sensors and attempting to reposition the child. At one point, she was also heard telling the monitor to “shut up.”
The investigation found that the alarms continued to be silenced while the infant was experiencing respiratory problems. Investigators said Pflugrad did not administer the oxygen required under the child’s care plan or contact emergency services during the episode.
The child was eventually taken to Golisano Children’s Hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with RSV bronchiolitis, respiratory acidosis and prolonged oxygen deprivation. A subsequent medical evaluation found evidence consistent with medical neglect. The child recovered and was released from the hospital the next day.
Pflugrad had previously suggested that the low oxygen readings could have been caused by problems with the monitoring equipment. Investigators sent the pulse oximeter to its manufacturer for testing, and the equipment was reportedly found to be functioning properly with no defects identified.
In a statement provided to her employer, Pflugrad said she believed the readings were related to sensor problems. She said she repositioned the child, replaced sensors and contacted the mother, but did not administer oxygen because she believed the low readings were not lasting long enough to indicate an emergency.
Her employer, Aveanna Healthcare, reached a different conclusion during its internal investigation. Records cited by investigators said the company found that Pflugrad failed to provide oxygen, perform required assessments and properly document the child’s care. She was suspended without pay.
The sentencing followed a complicated plea process. Pflugrad initially agreed to resolve the felony case with a no-contest plea, but the agreement nearly fell apart during a July hearing after Judge Kyle questioned whether she fully understood and accepted its terms. She later sought to withdraw the plea, but the judge denied that request.
At the sentencing hearing, Pflugrad maintained that she had followed what she believed were her instructions. She said she understood that the oxygen level could temporarily fall as long as it returned to normal. Her defense attorney described the case as one involving inadequate training and asked the judge to consider probation or house arrest instead of prison.
Judge Kyle ultimately ordered Pflugrad to serve 30 months with the Florida Department of Corrections, followed by 30 months of probation. The sentence also includes 100 hours of community service and the permanent forfeiture of her nursing license.
The case had drawn attention earlier this year when the judge initially rejected the proposed plea agreement and prepared to send the matter to trial. Pflugrad later entered the no-contest plea, bringing the criminal case to a conclusion without a trial.
Authorities had also investigated Pflugrad in 2024 in connection with another medically fragile child after allegations that medical alerts were ignored. Prosecutors ultimately declined to bring charges in that earlier investigation.
