Therapist Faces Penalty in ‘Angel of Death’ Case

The state Respiratory Care Board is seeking to discipline a therapist who failed to report in a timely fashion that he saw dangerous drugs in the locker of a colleague under investigation in the “Angel of Death” case, according to documents released Friday.

The case filed against Robert Baker of Glendale comes more than a year after Glendale police started their investigation of Efren Saldivar, who confessed to killing up to 50 terminally ill patients, then later recanted.

Baker’s name surfaced in March 1998, when it was learned in legal documents that he had told police that he saw several vials of morphine and two vials of paralyzing medication in Saldivar’s locker at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

He told police he did not come forward in October 1997 because he made the discovery while in Saldivar’s locker playing a practical joke.

In seeking to discipline Baker, the complaint filed April 2 by the state attorney general’s office said Baker knew that the drugs are not used by respiratory therapists and that it would be inappropriate or illegal to possess them.

The board did not say what penalty it will seek for Baker. Glendale Adventist released a statement Friday saying Baker is negotiating an agreement with the board for a reprimand that will keep his license to practice intact. He would have to reimburse the board $3,000 for its costs of the investigation, the hospital statement said.

Jay Van Rein, the state board spokesman, said it would be inappropriate to comment until the board takes action. Glendale police spokesman Sgt. Rick Young declined to comment on the actions of the state board.

Hospital spokesman Mark Newmyer said Baker did not want to comment.