Barry Cadden sentenced to 9 years for role in deadly meningitis outbreak
By: Samantha Fenlon
Email: Sfenlon@abc6.com
Twitter: @SFenlonABC6
BOSTON,M.A. (WLNE) — Nearly five years after the fungal meningitis outbreak that killed more than 70 and sickened hundreds more, the co-founder of NECC, the compounding pharmacy deemed responsible, is heading to prison.
Barry Cadden was sentenced to 9 years in prison on Monday. He did not stop to talk to reporters on his way out of the court house.
Inside the court room; however, he wiped away tears and apologized after listening to several victims and their family members speak of the horror caused by the tainted injections his company provided.
"They had the kryptonite and he lost," said a man who lost his father in the outbreak.
Earlier this year Cadden was convicted on 57 felony counts, including conspiracy and fraud charges.
He was acquitted of second degree murder charges.
Cranston mother Patricia Schmiedeknecht is one of hundreds to come down with meningitis following the 2012 outbreak.
She still struggles daily with the side-effects, including intense pain and extreme sensitivity to light.
Schmiedeknecht attended Monday’s sentencing in Boston, calling the victim statements she heard devastating and emotional to sit through.
When asked how she feels about the 9 year sentence, her husband Wayne told us:
"She is far too overwhelmed to answer properly rightnow about how she feels. It was traumatically triggering and sad. I however,with regard to 77 deceased and over 700 injured victims, I am notsatisfied.”
Cadden has been ordered to report to prison early next month.
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017
