Police Take Woman Drawing Blood From Teens Out of Circulation

An aspiring phlebotomist behind in her studies went awry of the Hippocratic Oath Aug. 27 when she allegedly practiced taking blood from three juveniles.

Nikia Clarke, 26, 2203 Diamond Hill Road, Apt. C, also ran afoul of Woonsocket Police when the parents of the children she was practicing on reported it.

During interviews with the apartment building’s manager, Woonsocket Police Det. Jamie Paone learned the mother of one of the teens reported her 15-year-old daughter had returned home weeks ago with a bandage on the inside of her elbow, according to Paone's report. The girl said Clarke had taken blood from her. 

Upon speaking with one of the youths, Paone learned that Clarke had allegedly taken blood from three teens, a 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and the 15-year-old girl. Reports indicate Clarke took blood from the 15-year-old, then the 14-year-old, but was unable to draw blood from the 14-year-old after two tries, according to the youth. The 15-year-old's mother reportedly provided police with a video of Clarke drawing blood from the 15-year-old's arm.

When confronted with the information and the video, Clarke admitted to drawing blood from the girl and younger boy, but denied attempting to draw blood from the older boy.

Clarke said she is studying phlebotomy at Comprehensive Educational Services in Providence. She said she had fallen behind on the required number of blood draws and was attempting to catch up. She said she took supplies from the school and asked her son's friends to let her draw blood from them, according to Paone's report.

Paone charged Clarke with two counts of felony assault.