Harmony at West Ashley faces lawsuit after resident dies from ant bites

The family of 83-year-old Shelba Catterton has filed a lawsuit against Harmony at West Ashley, a memory care facility in Charleston, South Carolina, following her death. The lawsuit alleges that Catterton, who suffered from advanced Alzheimer’s disease, was able to wander out of the facility through a door that had been propped open by an employee.

According to the complaint, Catterton was left unsupervised in a courtyard where she was swarmed by fire ants. The lawsuit claims she sustained upward of 1,000 bites and stings across her face, scalp, body, and limbs. Because she was non-verbal, she was unable to call for help or brush the insects away.

Medical records cited in the legal action indicate that when Catterton was eventually found, she was hypothermic and subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia. She was admitted to intensive care before passing away more than two weeks later. The family alleges that facility staff failed to contact them or the police immediately following the incident.