Vanity Fair Confidential Season 2 Episode 12 Angel Of Death
- TV14
- March 21, 2016
- 41 min
Vanity Fair Confidential season 2 episode 12, titled "Angel of Death," follows the story of nurse Charles Cullen who is suspected of murdering up to 40 patients in a span of 16 years. Cullen's killing spree involved administering lethal doses of medication to his patients, leading them to dangerous levels of insulin.
The episode opens with a call from a woman whose father was under Cullen's care, but later died under suspicious circumstances. This call had led to an investigation that eventually uncovered Cullen's shocking and heartbreaking murders.
As the episode unfolds, viewers are taken on a journey behind the scenes of the investigation that uncovered Cullen's horrific crimes. The investigation began in 2003, and followed years of allegations against Cullen by concerned coworkers. However, their concerns were initially ignored by hospital management, who cited a lack of evidence and continued to employ Cullen.
The investigation team, which included police and a forensic pathologist, eventually obtained Cullen's work schedule, medication records, and other hospital records. The investigators used this information to track nearly 100 suspicious deaths from hospitals where Cullen had worked.
The trail of evidence against Cullen continued to grow, but getting him to confess proved to be difficult. The investigators eventually discovered that Cullen was addicted to painkillers and admitted to killing patients as a way to relieve his own pain.
One of the most poignant aspects of the episode was hearing from the families of the victims. They spoke of their loved ones' suffering and their own anguish at not understanding how they could have died in the care of a healthcare professional.
As viewers watch Cullen's case come together, they are left to ponder the question of how someone could take on the role of "Angel of Death." Cullen exhibited both a God complex and a need for control, which ultimately led to a devastating impact on the patients and families he was entrusted to care for. He did not discriminate in his murders- children, elderly, and those otherwise healthy were all at risk.
The episode ends with the realization that justice was served, but at a great cost- the loss of innocent lives. The victims and their families will never fully recover from the trauma inflicted by Cullen's actions.
In conclusion, Vanity Fair Confidential season 2 episode 12 does an excellent job of detailing a horrific case of a healthcare professional that not only broke the trust of his patients but the wider community. The episode provides a peek into the arduous investigative work that went into uncovering the truth and ensuring Cullen was brought to justice. It is a poignant reminder of the impact of even one bad actor in the healthcare system, and how crucial it is to have appropriate oversight and accountability measures to protect patients.