Hughey Law Firm Featured in Daily Mail: Dementia Patient Suffers Horrific Death After More Than 1,000 Fire Ant Bites
Elder AbuseA nursing facility in Charleston, South Carolina, is facing a wrongful death lawsuit after 83-year-old Shelba Catterton, a dementia patient, allegedly suffered more than 1,000 fire ant bites and stings after leaving the facility unsupervised. Catterton was reportedly found outside Harmony at West Ashley the following afternoon, covered in bites across her face, scalp, back, chest, and limbs.
According to the lawsuit filed by Catterton’s family, she was nonverbal and entirely dependent on caregivers and was unable to call for help while she remained outside overnight. The lawsuit alleges that a door was left propped open, allowing Catterton to leave unnoticed, and that staff failed to promptly call 911 after she was found.
Catterton was hospitalized with extensive ant bites, hypothermia, and pneumonia and received intravenous antibiotics and steroids. Her condition later deteriorated, and she was placed in hospice care before dying on August 7. The lawsuit alleges negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, and violations of state laws governing resident care. Hughey Law Firm attorney Nathan Hughey represents Catterton’s family. The Charleston County Coroner’s Office said autopsy and toxicology results remain pending, while Harmony Senior Services declined to comment on the details because the case is currently in litigation.
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This tragic incident has received widespread media attention, with coverage from major publications and news organizations.
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Nathan Hughey, an attorney and fourth-generation South Carolinian, founded Hughey Law Firm in 2007. Before that, he spent five years defending nursing homes and insurance companies. Leveraging his experience, he now advocates for those injured or wronged by such entities, securing over $300 million in verdicts and settlements.