A 51-year-old worker at a state hospital in Pennsylvania has been accused of stealing over $130,000 from a patient serving two life sentences for killing her two sons.
Bridget Nicole Compton, the employee, allegedly took the money from Trinh T. Nguyen, who is in prison for murdering her children, 13-year-old Jeffrey Tini and 9-year-old Nelson Tini, by shooting them in the head while they slept... Continue reading here ▶
Nguyen had been declared mentally unfit to stand trial initially and was sent to Norristown State Hospital for treatment before pleading guilty to the murders in 2022.
How the Theft Happened
Authorities say Compton worked at Norristown State Hospital, where she met Nguyen, a patient. Over two months, Compton allegedly stole five checks from Nguyen’s account, totaling $132,480.01.
The theft was reported in November 2024 by a third party, prompting an investigation. Detectives discovered that Compton had forged Nguyen’s signature on the checks and cashed them at a check-cashing business in Philadelphia. There was no evidence that Nguyen gave Compton permission to access her finances.
According to investigators, Nguyen only asked Compton for help updating her address to continue receiving mail about her account. Instead, Compton impersonated Nguyen on calls with the bank, redirected the checks to her mother’s address, and cashed them herself.
How the Money Was Spent
Compton admitted to using the stolen money for a family trip to Puerto Rico in July 2023 and giving her mother $10,000. She told police, “I got the money in July and was broke by Christmas. That’s how quick it went.”
Legal Consequences
Compton was charged with multiple offenses, including identity theft, forgery, and grand theft. She was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.
Nguyen’s Crimes
Trinh T. Nguyen pleaded guilty in 2023 to two counts of first-degree murder for killing her sons. She was sentenced to two consecutive life terms without parole.
Authorities said Nguyen planned the murders in advance, leaving behind a handwritten will with instructions for handling her children’s remains.
After shooting her sons, Nguyen attempted to shoot her ex-husband’s nephew, but her gun misfired. She then fled to New Jersey to purchase heroin and left a note in her car that read: “Please call 911! My children are Dead in their bed at 119 Timber Ridge Rd 18940.”
Prosecutors revealed Nguyen wrote a detailed manifesto expressing anger and hatred toward others, which outlined her violent plans.
First Assistant District Attorney Jen Schorn said, “This defendant had a wickedness of disposition. She made these plans and documented her hatred and the people she blamed.”
