Psychiatrist Narendra Nagareddy arrested in raid charged with woman's death

Federal and Local authorities raided the home and office of Dr. Narendra Nagareddy on Thursday, taking him into custody.

According to court documents, Dr. Nagareddy is charged with prescribing pain medication, which is outside his profession as a psychiatrist.

Clayton County District Attoey Tracy Graham Lawson told reporters that 36 of Dr. Nagareddy's patients have died from an overdose.

A mother says her daughter, Audrey Austin would be alive if Nagareddy had not given her two prescriptions.
 
Ruth Carr says her daughter, was one of Nagareddy’s victims. She told reporters her daughter had just gotten out of rehab shortly before she died.
 
”It doesn't get better with time and think that's been long overdue with Dr. Nagareddy. And I knew that he was doing this with people other than my daughter, I knew that she wasn't the only one, Carr said.
 
Austin was a wife and the mother of two little boys.

Audrey Austin was a wife and the mother of two little boys.
 
”My little grandsons are never going to know their mother and never see her again, Carr said.
 
Carr said Austin was the victim of a fatal prescription-drug overdose just days after she visited Nagareddy.
 
”She was an addict and he made it very easy for her, Carr said.  
 
Clayton County Police Chief Mike Register said the Thursday raid on Nagareddy's office came after the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad made a presentation to Lawson, the chief and staff about its investigation of the psychiatrist.
 
He said both Clayton County officials were immediately on board.
 
”The guy may call himself a doctor, but if the allegations are true, I call him a drug dealer, Register said. ”His side of the story is he's innocent and looks forward to defending himself in court.
 
A warrant charges Nagareddy with unlawful prescribing/ordering and focuses on prescriptions to Austin.
 
”Was he responsible for anyone's death? Winne asked attoey Steven Frey.
 
 ”We don't believe so, no, Frey said. ”I have had several calls from the medical community showing their full support for him, so I expect that they will continue to do so and we will vigorously defend him.
 
Carr said in mid-February 2014, Austin left a hospital after depression and anxiety treatment.
 
Documents suggest Feb. 20 she went to an office visit with Nagareddy. Feb. 21, she overdosed.
 
Austin’s cause of death was determined to be the ”acute combined toxicity of two of the types of medications Nagareddy had prescribed the day before her overdose.
 
”My heart isn't big enough to feel sorry for him at all, Carr told Winne.
 
Carr said in 2012, she filed a medical board complaint on Nagareddy.