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Request to revoke probation for woman, 21, continued for fourth time

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Court Briefs

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Bail has been denied for a nursing supervisor who skipped out on her sentencing after she pleaded guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.</p><p>Kelly Levandowski, 40, of Nanticoke, will be forced to stay in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility until her new sentencing date, set for Dec. 21.</p><p>Levandowski previously admitted she neglected patient Melvin Johnson, 72, who later died.</p><p>She appeared before Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough on Friday via a video call from the county lockup. Vough issued a bench warrant after she failed to appear for her Wednesday sentencing, and records show she was taken into custody later that day.</p><p>In court Friday, her attorney, John Pike, said Levandowski had missed the sentencing due to an anxiety attack. Testimony from Levandowski&#8217;s sister, Lee Ann Ibirga, seemed to confirm that. She described Levandowski&#8217;s behavior the day before her sentencing.</p><p>&#8220;It was like she checked out,&#8221; said the sister.</p><p>Pike, saying that Levandowski had been very responsible and cooperative throughout the investigation and only made her first stumble at the last step, asked Vough to release Levandowski before her sentencing.</p><p>Assistant District Attorney Justin Richards, though, objected.</p><p>&#8220;Butterflies in someone&#8217;s stomach doesn&#8217;t excuse someone from skipping out on sentencing,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Vough seemed to agree, saying that Levandowski had the opportunity to call either the court or her attorney if she were experiencing mental health issues, which she did not do.</p><p>He denied Pike&#8217;s petition to lift Levandowski&#8217;s warrant, meaning she&#8217;ll stay locked up until sentencing.</p><p>Johnson was a patient at the Guardian Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Nanticoke while Levandowski was the nurse supervisor on June 20, 2013. Johnson repeatedly removed a tracheotomy tube, dying as a result.</p><p>Investigators with the state Office of Attorney General accused Levandowski of failing to order one-on-one care for Johnson and forcing an aide to fill out a form saying Johnson had been checked on every 15 minutes.</p><p>After the hearing, Pike said he wasn&#8217;t sure how Levandowski&#8217;s failure to appear would impact her sentencing. While her current time in jail should count as punishment for failure to appear, he said it&#8217;s ultimately up to the judge.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_Kelly-Levandowski-11282018-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Levandowski </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_Kelly-Levandowski-11282018-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Levandowski </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Bail denied for nursing supervisor who missed sentencing