CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Both the Nueces County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Adel Shaker and former county chief deputy medical examiner Dr. Sandra Lyden were arrested Tuesday.

What You Need To Know

  • Nueces County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Adel Shaker and former Nueces County chief deputy medical examiner Dr. Sandra Lyden were arrested Tuesday

  • According to the affidavit, Shaker hired Lyden knowing she didn't have a proper medical license

  • The affidavit says Lyden lied about her arrest record on her medical license application

  • Shaker's bond totals $850,000 and Lyden's totals $550,000

According to the arrest affidavits, Shaker faces 17 counts of practicing medicine in violation of subtitle that are related to Lyden’s hiring. Lyden is facing 15 counts of medical malpractice act with financial harm and six counts of tampering with government records to defraud/harm.

The affidavit claims Shaker knew Lyden didn’t have a medical license, despite weekly discussion about the issue, and hired her anyway.

According to the affidavits, Lyden was working for the medical examiner’s office without a Texas medical license. She is also accused of lying on her Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit application and didn’t disclose she has been arrested within a five-year period.

The affidavits also claim the medical examiner administrator emailed Lyden and copied Shaker. It said Shaker claimed Lyden received a temporary license to practice medicine. However, later on, Lyden emailed human resources and the administrator, saying she needed help to apply for her license, contradicting the previous note.

The affidavit says Lyden performed autopsies for 15 days in Nueces County without a medical license.

Each of Shaker’s charges is a third-degree felony, and carries a $50,000 bond, totaling $850,000. Lyden’s bond is $25,000 for each count except one, which is for $50,000, totaling $550,000.