A medical technician is accused of stealing prescription medications from her patient at a personal care home in Penn Township.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office filed charges against Shayna M. Whitehead, 29, of Summit Township. She is charged with felony acquiring a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of forgery, theft and giving false information.

Whitehead was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Sue Haggerty and released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.

According to charging documents, investigators on Aug. 5, 2021, began looking into a report of prescription medication missing from Shelborne Personal Care in Penn Township.

“Based on shipping records and the (medical administration) records, there are a total of 431 oxycodone 5 mg tablets that were received by Shelborne for (a patient) that were never given to (the patient) and are no longer at Shelbourne,” investigators said.

Investigators said the patient had complained multiple times to staff that he had not received his prescribed pain medication.

"(A doctor) stated that without proper pain management treatment, it would affect the patient’s quality of life,“ investigators said.

Investigators said they interviewed everyone who had touched or recorded notes about the missing drugs, and the trail ended with Whitehead.

“Ms. Whitehead was asked if she provided (the patient) with all the medications she withdrew, to which she stated she did,” investigators said. “Ms. Whitehead denied any theft of medications (or abusing opiates),” investigators said.

Investigators said they believe Whitehead also altered records related to the drugs. Investigators said a coworker recalled Whitehead asking her to alter the times for the drugs’ administration. The same coworker also identified multiple instances where her name was signed as administering the drugs, but said it was not her signature.

“Ms. Whitehead stated that she did sign (her coworker’s) name on April 1, 2021, and July 2, 2021,” investigators said. “When asked why, she stated that it sped the process up and (her coworker) was present at the time.”

Investigators also noted in court documents that before their involvement, and while Shelborne staff conducted an internal investigation, some documents related to the drugs disappeared.

Investigators said they again were called to investigate a second matter involving Monarch Home Health Care in Franklin, Venango County, where Whitehead went to work following Shelborne.

Investigators said Whitehead was assisting a patient and left alone with their medications at one point.

“Ms. Whitehead had went out and played with (the patient’s) walker, where all of their medications are kept in a plastic bag on the back side of a hanging fabric holder with pockets,” investigators said.

Investigators said after Whitehead left, the patient’s granddaughter planned to refill the patient’s prescriptions, but the patient couldn’t find a bottle of oxycodone.

Whitehead is scheduled to appear Sept. 7 for a preliminary hearing before Haggerty.