ERIE COUNTY — A Sandusky woman was accused of posing as a registered nurse and physical therapist at two Perkins Township healthcare facilities despite having no proper credentials for either role.
Perkins Township Police Detective Joseph Rotuno said Amanda Maynard Murphy allegedly worked at Parkvue and NOMS Healthcare — both in Perkins Township — using the physical therapy license number of another woman named Amanda Maynard and the Social Security number of a different woman from North Carolina to pass required background checks.
"It's kind of scary to me that she was able to do this as an RN for quite a while," Rotuno said.
Concerns first surfaced in December 2023, when complaints were raised about Murphy's work as a physical therapist.
"Some of the processes and some of the techniques that she was doing just did not seem proper," Rotuno said.
Investigators saisd the situation grew more serious as the scope of Murphy's alleged deception became clear.
"As an RN being around medications, controlled substances, and then a physical therapist being around patients and patient records, this should not have been able to happen" Rotuno said.
When authorities executed a search warrant, they found evidence that linked Murphy to additional healthcare facilities.
"We found stuff that tied her into a lot of these other nursing facilities. We found badges from facilities and things of that nature," Rotuno said.
In January 2025, Murphy was indicted on multiple felony charges including identity fraud, grand theft and possessing criminal tools. When authorities moved to serve the indictment, she had fled.
"We had been getting some information over the last six to eight months, maybe even last year, that she had been in the Tennessee area, been hiding out down there," Rotuno said.
On Monday, Murphy was arrested in Tennessee and later transferred back to Erie County. She is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 1.
Rotuno said the case has prompted a broader conversation about hiring practices at healthcare facilities.
"There's a lot of places that realized the background process that they are using is possibly flawed, because this should have never happened," Rotuno said.
"There should have been no way this person should have been able to get a job at any of these facilities," Rotuno said.
I reached out to both Parkvue and NOMS Healthcare for comment. Neither has responded at this time.
If you believe you were a victim of Murphy and want to share your experience, you can reach me at maya.lockett@wews.com.
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