A lawsuit filed against Harmony at West Ashley in Charleston, South Carolina, alleges that an 83-year-old dementia patient, Shelba Catterton, died after being swarmed and bitten by fire ants over 1,000 times. Catterton, who was nonverbal and reliant on caregivers, was reportedly left unsupervised and able to exit the facility, where she encountered ant mounds and was attacked.
The suit claims a staff member propped a door open, allowing Catterton to leave unnoticed. She was allegedly "locked out, alone in the dark" and rested on fire ant mounds. The ants reportedly bit and stung her face, eyes, scalp, back, chest, and limbs. Due to her degenerative illness, Catterton was unable to call for help.
According to the lawsuit, Catterton was not found until the following afternoon, July 24. Her family claims that even after she was discovered outside, facility staff failed to call 911. Her daughter, Janane Buice, states that she insisted on July 25 before 911 was contacted. Upon arriving at the facility that day, Buice noted that her mother's back was covered in bites.
A recording of the 911 call, cited in the suit, features a worker stating that Catterton was found outside with a "bunch of ants on her" and that "bumps all over her back, all over her face, it's pretty bad. They really did eat up on her." The suit highlights that the worker, identified as Jasmine, could not recall Catterton's age, guessing she was "about the 80s, something," and reportedly provided the wrong address to the 911 operator.
After being transported to Bon Secours Roper St. Francis Hospital, medical reports documented "unnumerable pustules due to known ant bites." Physicians noted Catterton was suffering from hypothermia and pneumonia upon arrival and connected the bites to "life-threatening complications." She remained in the hospital for eight days, receiving intensive care, intravenous antibiotics, and steroids.
Catterton's health deteriorated on July 28, and her family was informed on July 31 that no further medical intervention was possible. She was moved to hospice care and passed away on August 7, 15 days after the incident. Autopsy and toxicology results are pending, according to the Charleston County Coroner's Office.
The wrongful death suit alleges negligence and violations of state laws by Harmony at West Ashley, stating the facility "departed from prevailing and acceptable professional standards of care." The family is seeking damages to be determined at trial.
A spokesperson for Harmony Senior Services stated, "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mrs. Catterton’s family and loved ones during this difficult time." The company added, "As a family-owned and operated senior living company, we are committed to providing each resident with the same care, compassion, and respect we would extend to our own family." Due to the ongoing litigation, the company declined to comment further on the case details.