Exclusive: Family Alleges Shocking Neglect After Shelba Catterton Freed to Walk Alone Before Ant Attack
Ever wonder what it feels like to be swarmed by over a thousand fire ants? Well, for 83-year-old Shelba Catterton, it was a nightmare that tragically ended her life. Shelba, battling advanced dementia and unable to speak, wandered out of her care facility in Charleston, South Carolina—where, according to a lawsuit, a worker’s oversight left the door wide open. The lawsuit paints a harrowing scene: thousands of angry fire ants stinging her across nearly every inch of her body while she was unable to call for help. Hours later, she was found, rushed to the hospital battling hypothermia, pneumonia, and countless ant bites—but sadly, she never recovered. Now, her family is suing the facility, claiming negligence and a breach of trust in caring for someone so vulnerable. It begs the question—how many mistakes does it take before a system meant to protect utterly fails? Dive into this gripping story—and brace yourself for the shocking details that follow. LEARN MORE
An elderly dementia patient died after being swarmed by fire ants and sustaining more than 1,000 bites after she wandered outside, a lawsuit has claimed.
Shelba Catterton, 83, who had advanced dementia and was non-verbal, left the care facility she lived in unsupervised on 23 July where she was attacked by fire ants, according to the filing.
The lawsuit, which has been obtained by the Daily Mail, alleges that a worker left the door open at Harmony at West Ashley in Charleston, South Carolina, meaning Shelba was able to slip out unnoticed.
The suit claims that once she was outside, the fire ants ‘swarmed Shelba’s body’ and says she was stung upwards of 1,000 times across her face, scalp, back, arms, legs and chest.
Shelba Catterton family say she was left covered in ant bites (WCBD)
It also claims that due to her advanced condition she wasn’t able to call out for help and was found hours later still outside.
After Shelba was discovered, a worker at the facility called 911 and reportedly told the dispatcher: “A bunch of ants were on her. She has bumps all over her back, all over her face, it’s pretty bad. They really did eat up on her.”
Shelba was later taken to Bon Secours Roper St. Francis Hospital where alongside ‘innumerable pustules due to known ant bites’ she was also found to be suffering from both hypothermia and pneumonia, the suit said.
Her daughter Jan Buice told Counton2: “I was horrified. I just can’t tell you how horrified I was. Nobody should ever go through something like that.”
The suit says she spent eight days in hospital where she was treated with steroids and antibiotics, but sadly passed on 7 August.
Following her death, her family are now suing the care facility for negligence, wrongful death and violation of state law that governs such facilities.
The lawsuit states: “Harmony departed from prevailing and acceptable professional standards of care and treatment of Shelba Catterton.”
The filing has asked for damages to be paid to Selba’s estate in an amount determined at trial.
A lawsuit claims she was bitten upwards of 1,000 times by fire ants (Seung-il Ryu/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The family’s lawyer Nate Hughey told the outlet that he was shocked by the incident and said it was the worst he’d seen.
“To my knowledge, I’ve handled the most elder abuse cases in the last 25 years in the state,” Hughey said.
“This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”
A Harmony Senior Services spokesperson told Counton2: “First, our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mrs. Catterton’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.
“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.
“Because this matter is currently in litigation, we are not in a position to comment on the details of the case.”
The company, which offers specialised care for those living with dementia, is part of Harmony Senior Services.
The parent company has four facilities in South Carolina, and Counton2 notes that this is the first reported incident at any of them.
LADbible has approached the care facility for comment.
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