A nurse has been charged with manslaughter after allegedly turning off a patient's life support without permission. Police in Canada have also charged Joanna Flynn, a former nurse at Georgian Bay General Hospital in Ontario, with criminal negligence causing death. The 50-year-old was arrested on Thursday, and it is thought it is the first time a health care professional has been charged for switching off a life support machine in Canada. The outside of Georgian Bay General Hospital in Ontario, Canada, where Flynn worked as a nurse. Its CEO and president said in a statement: 'A criminal charge involving someone at our hospital is... highly distressing' The name of the patient has not been formally released, but the husband of Deanna Leblanc, 39 from Midland, told The Toronto Star she was the alleged victim. The mother of two died at the hospital on March 2, 2014, leaving the couple's two young sons aged 15 and 18. Her husband Michael Leblanc said Deanna had undergone a minor knee operation when she suddenly woke up in at 3am in the morning, feeling ‘like she was dying’. She was taken to Georgian Bay and as her condition rapidly deteriorated, she was put on life support. The furniture saleswoman died at around 8.30pm that evening. Mr Leblanc said he is still coming to terms with her death a year on. ‘It just wasn’t right’, he told The Star. ‘Thirty-nine years old and nothing wrong with her but a bum knee’. ‘This should never have happened’, he added. The police in Midland launched an investigation on March 6, and on Thursday announced they had arrested Flynn. In a statement they said: ‘To preserve the integrity of this investigation and the pending case before the court, no further information will be released.’ The former Georgian Bay General Hospital (pictured) nurse Joanna Flynn will appear in court again on May 29 . Karen McGrath, the president and CEO of Georgian Bay, said in a release that they had been advised by lawyers not to make any further statements about the investigation. She added: ‘A criminal charge involving someone at our hospital is a highly distressing occurrence and will create a good deal of anxiety for our community.’ Flynn did not respond to requests for comment from local media. She has now been bailed and will appear in court again on May 28.
Joanna Flynn, 50, also charged with criminal negligence causing death . 'This should never have happened', widower of alleged victim tells media . Deanna Leblanc died last year at Georgian Bay General Hospital, Ontario .