Wisconsin Nurse Accused of Amputating Patient's Foot Without Permission to Use at Taxidermy Shop

Mar. 15, 2025

Mary K. Brown, 38, allegedly told coworkers she planned to display the severed foot, alongside a sign that read, “Wear your boots, kids,” according toThe Washington Post.

Court records indicate Brown has been charged with physical abuse of an elder person and mayhem.

The victim was admitted to the facility in March due to a fall at home and severely frostbitten feet, the outlet reports, citing the affidavit.

Workers at the nursing home reportedly described the patient’s feet as “black like a mummy,” according to the paper.

The victim’s health continued to deteriorate from the time he was admitted.

He suffered another fall out of bed, further damaging his right foot, according to the outlet, prompting Brown to seek permission from an administrator regarding its amputation, according to the outlet.

Hospital bed.Getty

“Brown had no doctor’s order to conduct an amputation. She stated that she did not have any authorization to remove VICTIM’s foot. Brown did not have VICTIM’s permission to amputate his foot. Administrators of the nursing home agreed that it was outside of the scope of Brown’s practice to conduct such a procedure and a doctor’s order was necessary prior to any amputation,” the station reports, citing the affidavit.

Still, Brown allegedly forged ahead with her plans to amputate the foot using gauze scissors, per thePost.

Per the outlet, the man did not appear to be in pain during the procedure and suffered minimal blood loss, but also noted “it was not a very good amputation,” citing a witnessing nurse.

However, thePostreports another nurse told investigators the patient claimed he had “felt everything and it hurt very bad,” according to the affidavit.

The nurse did not comply and days later the victim died, according to the outlet.

The medical examiner reportedly alerted authorities to the man’s death, after discovering his foot was not attached to his corpse.

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According to the affidavit, WEAU reports coworkers defended Brown’s decision to amputate, stating that she did not do so out of malice, but rather to provide the patient with “dignity and comfort.”

“We have and will continue to fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter. The person identified is not employed with our community,” Larson said.

Lawyer information for Brown was unavailable Tuesday and it was unclear if she entered a plea to the charges.

Brown is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 6.

source: people.com