Police are investigating a registered nurse over the deaths of elderly residents in southern Ontario long-term-care homes, the Star has learned.

Details in what the Ontario Provincial Police are calling a “multi-jurisdictional death investigation” will be released Tuesday morning but sources told the Star that nursing homes in the London and Woodstock regions are the focus of the probe. Three police forces in the area are pooling resources on the case, which has stretched to Oxford and Brant counties.

In a written statement sent to the Star on Monday night, Lee Griffi, a spokesperson for Caressant Care Woodstock, said the home is “co-operating fully with police investigating the actions of a former staff member, a registered nurse, who left our home’s employ approximately two-and-a-half years ago.”

In the release, Griffi said the home has been in touch with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Griffi added: “Our highest priority is to continue to provide for the physical, social and spiritual needs of our residents. We deeply regret the additional grief and stress this is imposing on the families involved.”

Caressant Care is a private nursing home chain that cares for roughly 1,250 residents in 15 homes across the province. In Ontario, there are a total of 630 nursing homes with 77,000 residents.

A source said Caressant is not the only chain police are looking at, adding that a nursing home in London is also part of the investigation. The OPP had told local media on Oct. 14 that it was conducting a multi-jurisdictional investigation and that the case began in Woodstock on Sept. 29, but it provided no further details at that time and did not say the case was related to a nursing home.

OPP Sgt. David Rektor said Monday that no details could be released in advance of the Tuesday press conference in Woodstock.

Detectives from the Woodstock and London city police forces, as well as the OPP’s criminal investigation branch, are working the case. Police would not say how many deaths are being probed.

“We’ve charged nobody at this point,” Rektor said.

Griffi, of Caressant Care, said: “We are determined to avoid compromising the police investigation in any way and are therefore unable to provide additional comment at this time.”

Moira Welsh can be reached at 416-407-3488 or mwelsh@thestar.ca .