Madeline Buchek was a vibrant, stylish, and witty woman who served in the Marine Corps during World War II.
Frank Rutkowsky Sr. served in the Army and was a respectful, self-sufficient man who was proud of his appearance.
Neither deserved to be humiliated by two Westmoreland Hospital nurses or to have their privacy violated, their families said Friday in a Westmoreland County courtroom.
The families spoke at the sentencing hearings for Peter Castellano, 37, of Pittsburgh’s Fineview neighborhood, and Melissa Tompkins, 36, of Baldwin. Each admitted to taking and sharing pictures and videos of Westmoreland Hospital patients without their permission.
“He did not deserve to get what he got from these two,” said Rutkowsky’s daughter, Debra Topinka, calling each nurse a “predator under the guise of a professional.”
“They have proven they cannot be trusted with something as sacred as human life,” stated Janelle Snyder, Buchek’s niece.
Castellano and Tompkins were sentenced Friday to 30 days to one year in Westmoreland County Prison. According to Greensburg police, some of the photos they took and shared showed patients naked in their hospital rooms, while others were partially clothed.
Independence Health System fired Castellano and Tompkins after an employee reported them.
Some videos showed the suspects antagonizing patients, including one in which a patient cried, according to police.
The pair pleaded guilty on Friday to misdemeanor counts of abuse of a care-dependent person. The plea agreement called for the dismissal of felony intercepted communications charges.
According to Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker, the deal was made to ensure that Castellano and Tompkins served jail time, which would have been unlikely if they had been convicted at trial under the sentencing guidelines.
“I believe that these were merely acts of cruelty,” according to Ranker.
Topinka and Snyder testified about the harm done to their loved ones in June 2024. They said they believed Castellano and Tompkins’ actions contributed to their deaths. Topinka testified that Rutkowsky’s family was grieving his death at age 96 on August 5, 2024, when they learned of the accusations against the nurses.
“For some of us, the shock or sadness hasn’t lessened, and we’ve become victims by default,” she told me.
Snyder recalled an incident in which her aunt became withdrawn and called one of her nurses a rat.
“Do you remember that? “I do,” she said, looking at the couple.
Buchek died on July 25, 2024, aged 105.
Ranker read victim impact statements from three other participants in the case. They expressed a persistent fear of health-care professionals and settings. An estimated ten patients were involved.
“These individuals are heroes. “They don’t call it the Greatest Generation for nothing,” Judge Michael J. Stewart II explained.
It was difficult for him to understand why two professionals would violate the trust of patients in need of care. To the victims and their families, he acknowledged that the sentence would not provide them with enough time to grieve or restore their trust in healthcare workers.
“I find your actions beyond comprehension,” he informed Castellano and Tompkins. “These people did nothing to deserve that, so I hope you carry that with you the rest of your life.”
Tompkins was permitted to report to the jail on October 20 to begin serving her sentence. Castellano was led out of court in handcuffs.
They were arrested in September after Greensburg police discovered a group text message thread between two nurses and two technicians indicating that the suspects had improperly treated patients.
According to court documents, the patients were unaware of the photos or recordings and did not give their consent. The two technicians were not charged.
According to state records, Castellano and Tompkins’ licenses to practice as registered nurses have been suspended. Castellano’s license was issued in 2022, while Tompkins’ was issued under the surname Marsh in 2020.
Tompkins turned to face the people seated in court.
“I can’t even — I’m speechless. “I’m so sorry,” she said.
Castellano directed his remarks at Stewart.
“I apologize for my actions,” he stated. “I could never have imagined how much harm I was able to cause.”
