# Lawsuit against Charleston memory care facility

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lawsuit-against-charleston-memory-care-facility
> Updated: 2026-08-29T12:28:25.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

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 legal action alleges negligence, wrongful death, and violations of state elder care regulations.

According to the complaint, Catterton, who suffered from advanced Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, was able to wander out of the facility on July 23 after an employee allegedly left a door propped open. While unsupervised in a courtyard, she was swarmed by fire ants, sustaining more than 1,000 stings across her face, head, body, and limbs. Due to her medical condition, she was unable to call for help and was not discovered for several hours.

Medical records indicate that upon being found, Catterton was treated for the stings, hypothermia, and pneumonia. She passed away on August 7 after eight days of treatment at Bon Secours Roper St. Francis hospital. The lawsuit further alleges that facility staff failed to contact the family or police immediately following the incident. While an official determination regarding the direct link between the insect attacks and her death is pending, the family is seeking accountability for the lack of supervision that allowed her to wander outside.

## Claims

- Shelba Catterton was attacked by a swarm of fire ants after leaving a care facility unsupervised. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The fire ants inflicted more than 1,000 stings on her body. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- An employee left the doors of the Harmony at West Ashley facility open, allowing Catterton to exit unnoticed. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Doctors at Bon Secours Roper St. Francis diagnosed Catterton with hypothermia and pneumonia. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Shelba Catterton died on August 7 after spending eight days in the hospital. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Catterton's family filed a lawsuit against the Harmony at West Ashley facility for negligence and wrongful death. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-29: South Carolina nursing home sued after fire ant attack kills senior

The family of an 83-year-old Alzheimer's patient in South Carolina has filed a lawsuit against a nursing home after she was attacked by fire ants and died weeks after the incident.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-carolina-nursing-home-sued-after-fire-ant-attack-kills-senior

### 2026-08-26: Charleston care facility sued after woman dies from fire ant attacks

An 83-year-old woman with dementia died in South Carolina after being stung over 1,000 times by fire ants following an unsupervised exit from a care facility.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/charleston-care-facility-sued-after-woman-dies-from-fire-ant-attacks

### 2026-08-23: Harmony at West Ashley faces lawsuit after resident dies from ant bites

A South Carolina family is suing Harmony at West Ashley after an 83-year-old Alzheimer’s patient died from approximately 1,000 fire ant bites after wandering through a propped-open door.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/harmony-at-west-ashley-faces-lawsuit-after-resident-dies-from-ant-bites

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Cite as: Lawsuit against Charleston memory care facility. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lawsuit-against-charleston-memory-care-facility