What to Know
Sharlene Janet Pflugrad worked for Aveanna Healthcare in Florida as an in-home nurse. In September 2025, while caring for a medically fragile infant, the 65-year-old nurse allegedly failed to follow the infant’s physician-approved care plan properly. The child required oxygen and a monitor to ensure oxygen levels remained within a healthy range.
When they dipped, she was to notify the baby’s parents and the nursing agency. Instead, she allegedly silenced the baby’s monitor. She was headed for a plea deal, but a misstep in court changed everything.
Pflugrad was caring for a premature infant.
According to court documents obtained by Law & Crime, the infant, born at 24 weeks, needed around-the-clock care. Pflugrad was instructed to give the infant up to two liters of oxygen and alert the parents and Aveanna Healthcare of any oxygen dips. The instructions stated that she should call 911 if the infant’s oxygen saturation dipped below 88%.
During an overnight shift on September 15, the baby reportedly had readings of 81% and 79%. Pflugrad allegedly texted the mother with photos of the readings but did not wake the parents or call 911.
The mother didn’t receive the texts until the next morning.
Pflugrad reportedly sent the texts at 11:24 p.m.; the baby’s mother did not read them until 6:13 a.m. the next morning. The parents ultimately called 911 when four liters of oxygen didn’t restore levels to a safe range.
Emergency responders took the baby to Golisano Children’s Hospital, where doctors diagnosed RSV bronchiolitis, respiratory acidosis, and prolonged oxygen deprivation. The baby recovered, and doctors released the family from the hospital the following day.
Police reportedly found disturbing recordings on the family’s home surveillance.
Court documents revealed home surveillance allegedly captured Pflugrad muting the infant’s oximeter alarms during the night. They reportedly reviewed 147 clips that showed her silencing the alerts, changing the sensors, and telling the monitor to “shut up.”
Investigators sent the pulse oximeter to its manufacturer, Masimo, after Pflugrad claimed the readings were due to an equipment error. Masimo confirmed the oximeter worked properly.
Pflugrad reportedly refused to make a statement to police.
Law & Crime reported that while she declined to make a statement to detectives, they obtained a written statement she made to her employer. The nurse explained to Aveanna Healthcare she attempted to reposition the infant, changed sensors, and contacted the baby’s mother via text message. Pflugrad claimed she didn’t administer oxygen due to her belief that the sensor was defective.
Pflugrad was previously investigated in 2024 after allegedly ignoring alerts for another medically fragile child, resulting in permanent brain damage. Prosecutors did not press charges against her in that case.
Pflugrad’s attitude in court changed the course of her future.
Per WINK, Pflugrad appeared in court with a chance to plead no contest to charges of child neglect. According to the plea, she’d spend 364 days in Lee County Jail, followed by 48 months of probation.
Pflugrad would not be eligible for early termination; she’d have to provide a DNA sample, pay court costs, and have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family. The deal also required her to forfeit her license.
When Judge Bruce Kyle asked Pflugrad if she accepted the plea, she reportedly became confused and commented about obtaining a different attorney.
“If you’re getting another attorney, I’m telling you, you better tell them they better be ready for trial tomorrow because I’m setting you for trial tomorrow,” the judge said.
Pflugrad reportedly stepped outside the courtroom for more than an hour. She returned, but did not answer Kyle’s question the way that he wanted.
“I’m showing you page four of the plea form. Is this your signature to indicate that you agree with the terms and conditions?” the judge said. “Not really, but,” Pflugrad replied. “See you tomorrow morning, 8:30 for trial… I cannot accept the plea after that. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” the judge said.
She reportedly asked him to reconsider, but the judge declined. She now faces a trial.
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