A Kansas City-area man, Ronnie Wiggs, has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly killing his wife in the hospital. According to court documents, Wiggs claimed he could not afford her medical expenses or handle the burden of caregiving. He confessed to suffocating her while she was undergoing treatment at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Missouri.

As stated in the probable cause report, his wife was having a new port inserted for her dialysis treatment when medical staff declared a "code blue" due to her unresponsiveness. Though they temporarily restored her pulse, she was ultimately declared brain-dead, leading to preparations for organ donation. She passed away on Saturday.

After the incident, Wiggs initially fled the hospital but returned with his wife's son. According to the report, he confessed, saying, "I did it. I killed her. I choked her." He was subsequently arrested. Wiggs admitted to detectives that he had covered his wife's nose and mouth to prevent her from screaming, citing the emotional toll of depression and the pressures of rising medical bills.

Further investigation revealed that this was not Wiggs' first attempt. He had tried to kill his wife at a rehabilitation facility previously, but she woke up and pleaded with him not to do it again. He also contemplated another attempt while she was hospitalized but was deterred by the medical monitors surrounding her.

This heartbreaking incident reflects the complexities of families dealing with severe illnesses, caregiving challenges, and financial hardship. The public defender’s office has yet to respond to requests for comment on Wiggs' defense.