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Clara Strange, Thelma Metcalf, Garlin Kelley, Cora Bryant, and Opal Few were dialysis patients whose deaths in April 2008 shocked the community of Lufkin, Texas. Their tragic fates were brought about by Kimberly Saenz, a dialysis nurse at a local dialysis clinic who deliberately injected bleach into the patients' dialysis lines. As a result, the patients suffered fatal cardiac arrest and respiratory complications.
Each individual had their own story and faced constant health risks that necessitated regular dialysis sessions. They trusted the clinic to treat them safely and effectively. However, Saenz acted contrary to that trust, resulting in the deaths of these individuals.
Details about the case are taken from court documents and publicly available information from the Fourth Court of Appeals, which provides background and evidence for Saenz's conviction. The court was involved because Saenz appealed her conviction, raising multiple issues related to her trial, but the appeals court upheld the original decision.
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Her case will be examined in detail in the third episode of Snapped season 35, titled Kimberly Saenz. The episode is scheduled to premiere on January 19, 2025, at 6:00 PM on Oxygen Network. The official synopsis reads:
"Numerous patients at a Texas dialysis treatment centre have gone into cardiac arrest, resulting in five deaths in one month. Investigators work with the Centers for Disease Control to expose a chilling connection between the unexplained tragedies."
Clara Strange
According to court records, Clara Strange was the first to die under suspicious circumstances on April 1, 2008. The court documents provide factual background rather than arguments from lawyers.
Initially, Clara Strange complained of shortness of breath during dialysis but stabilized after receiving oxygen. However, while her primary technician was on break, Saenz altered Clara Strange’s blood flow rate, which was unwarranted.
Later, Strange became unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital, where revival efforts failed. The preserved dialysis line of Strange yielded a positive result for bleach.
Forensic reports confirmed the presence of chlorine in her system, but Saenz claimed that this evidence was unreliable during the trial. Court documents refer to this as a possible cause of death but note that it is contested. Her passing marked the beginning of a series of fatal incidents at the clinic.
Thelma Metcalf
According to court records, another casualty was Thelma Metcalf, who passed away shortly after Clara Strange. Metcalf had been cooperative and calm during her treatments. However, she developed complications during her dialysis sessions. Saenz was assigned to monitor Metcalf but failed to administer proper CPR when Metcalf became unresponsive.
Witness accounts indicated Saenz unnecessarily reduced Metcalf's blood flow, seemingly contributing to her deteriorating condition. Similar to Strange, tests on Metcalf's dialysis line revealed a positive result for bleach. An analysis by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) concluded that the findings were consistent with chlorine poisoning.
Garlin Kelley
According to court records, Garlin Kelley was receiving dialysis on April 16, 2008, when his dialysis machine alarm sounded. A technician reported seeing Saenz fiddling with the machine just before Kelley's cardiac arrest. He was revived but never regained consciousness and remained in a vegetative state until his death on August 18, 2008.
Testing Kelley's dialysis line with a syringe revealed the presence of chlorine. However, court records do not confirm chlorine in Kelley's system, distinguishing his case from that of Clara Strange.
Cora Bryant
According to court records, on April 22, 2008, the fourth victim was identified as Cora Bryant. At one point during her treatment, she asked a technician what was being given to her just before she went into cardiac arrest. Her blood pressure dropped suddenly, and despite immediate medical attention, she was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Bryant survived the initial incident but died in July 2008 from complications. Forensic tests on her blood revealed high concentrations of chlorine-associated chemicals.
Although her dialysis tube tested negative for bleach, it was testified in court that an injection of bleach was the source of her suffering.
Opal Few
According to court records, Opal Few died on April 26, 2008, within minutes of starting her dialysis treatment. Her technician had left the room briefly and returned to find that Saenz had managed her treatment. Few lost consciousness, and efforts to save her were unsuccessful.
Investigators discovered bleach in Few's dialysis line and syringes labeled with her name. Additionally, Saenz failed to document the administration of Few's medication, which raised more suspicion.
Few was the last casualty in a string of deaths that led to Saenz's arrest and trial. Her case, like the others, exposed the dangers of a healthcare worker's deliberate malpractice.
For more details about the death of Clara Strange and others, watch Snapped on Oxygen.
