A nurse has been charged with manslaughter after allegedly turning off a patient 's life support without permission . Police in Canada have also charged Joanna Flynn , a former nurse at Georgian Bay General Hospital in Ontario , with criminal negligence causing death . The 50-year-old was arrested on Thursday , and it is thought it is the first time a health care professional has been charged for switching off a life support machine in Canada . The outside of Georgian Bay General Hospital in Ontario , Canada , where Flynn worked as a nurse . Its CEO and president said in a statement : ' A criminal charge involving someone at our hospital is ... highly distressing ' The name of the patient has not been formally released , but the husband of Deanna Leblanc , 39 from Midland , told The Toronto Star she was the alleged victim . The mother of two died at the hospital on March 2 , 2014 , leaving the couple 's two young sons aged 15 and 18 . Her husband Michael Leblanc said Deanna had undergone a minor knee operation when she suddenly woke up in at 3am in the morning , feeling ‘ like she was dying ’ . She was taken to Georgian Bay and as her condition rapidly deteriorated , she was put on life support . The furniture saleswoman died at around 8.30pm that evening . Mr Leblanc said he is still coming to terms with her death a year on . ‘ It just wasn ’ t right ’ , he told The Star . ‘ Thirty-nine years old and nothing wrong with her but a bum knee ’ . ‘ This should never have happened ’ , he added . The police in Midland launched an investigation on March 6 , and on Thursday announced they had arrested Flynn . In a statement they said : ‘ To preserve the integrity of this investigation and the pending case before the court , no further information will be released. ’ The former Georgian Bay General Hospital ( pictured ) nurse Joanna Flynn will appear in court again on May 29 . Karen McGrath , the president and CEO of Georgian Bay , said in a release that they had been advised by lawyers not to make any further statements about the investigation . She added : ‘ A criminal charge involving someone at our hospital is a highly distressing occurrence and will create a good deal of anxiety for our community. ’ Flynn did not respond to requests for comment from local media . She has now been bailed and will appear in court again on May 28 .
Joanna Flynn , 50 , also charged with criminal negligence causing death . 'This should never have happened ' , widower of alleged victim tells media . Deanna Leblanc died last year at Star , Ontario .