A former anesthesiologist has been sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for the deliberate poisoning of 30 patients, resulting in 12 fatalities in eastern France.

The 53-year-old Frédéric Péchier, who was once trusted as a star anesthetist, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday, December 18, 2025, after state prosecutors said he was among the biggest criminals in France.

A court in Besançon determined that Frédéric Péchier tampered with intravenous bags, injecting them with chemicals designed to trigger heart failure or severe internal bleeding.

His victims spanned a wide age range, including an 89-year-old and a four-year-old child who narrowly survived two cardiac arrests during a standard tonsillectomy in 2016.

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During the proceedings, prosecutors delivered a scathing closing statement, labeling him “Doctor Death” and accusing him of betraying the medical profession by transforming his clinic into a “graveyard.”

According to the reports, the investigation into his case began eight years ago, focusing on a series of suspicious incidents occurring between 2008 and 2017 at two medical facilities in Besançon.

The first identified victim was 36-year-old Sandra Simard, who suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest during a spinal procedure.

Ironically, Simard survived the ordeal because Péchier himself intervened, though the event left her in a coma. Subsequent analysis of her intravenous bags revealed lethal levels of potassium, roughly 100 times the standard dose, which prompted medical staff to alert local authorities.

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According to the report published by The Guardian, Péchier maintains his innocence and has a 10-day window to file an appeal.

Throughout the legal proceedings, he adamantly rejected the accusations, asserting to the bench, “I have never poisoned anyone … I am not a poisoner.” Despite these denials, legal representatives for the victims characterized his courtroom demeanor as cold, noting a distinct lack of remorse or empathy toward those affected.

Tedy’s father, Hervé Hoerter Tarby, told the court: “What happened to us is a nightmare. We trusted medicine and we feel betrayed.”

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An Unrecognizable Female Nurse Helps the Unrecognizable Woman Get out of the Hospital Bed. PHOTO/ Courtesy