Additional Coverage:
- Woman dies after fire ants swarmed her face, eyes and entire body, leaving 1,000 bites (themirror.com)
An 83-year-old woman with advanced Alzheimer’s disease tragically died following an attack by fire ants at her nursing facility in Charleston, South Carolina. The incident, which left her with severe injuries and medical complications, has prompted her family to file a lawsuit against the care home, Harmony at West Ashley.
According to a 911 call made by a staff member who found Shelba Catterton covered in ant bites, the woman was discovered alone and helpless, with ants swarming her face, back, and limbs. “She has bumps all over her back, all over her face; it’s pretty bad,” the employee reported. “They really did eat up on her.”
The lawsuit alleges that on the evening of July 23, a worker at the facility propped open a door leading to a secured courtyard, allowing Catterton-who was nonverbal and wandering due to her dementia-to exit unnoticed. She was later found locked outside in the dark, lying in a “fire ant bed,” suffering from what is believed to be more than 1,000 bites covering much of her body.
Medical records indicate that Catterton was hypothermic upon arrival at the hospital, requiring intensive care and active warming treatment. She developed numerous pustules from the ant bites, which her doctors connected to life-threatening complications. Despite this, the lawsuit claims facility staff delayed notifying authorities for 36 hours, only contacting emergency services after Catterton’s daughter arrived for a visit and demanded hospital care.
“I was horrified,” said Jan Buice, Catterton’s daughter. “Nobody should ever go through something like that.” Another daughter, Sherri Lero, described the ordeal as “horrendous,” recalling how her mother went from being able to walk to bedridden and struggling for breath.
Catterton passed away on August 7. Her family’s attorney called the case “the worst” instance of elder abuse he had encountered.
The ongoing investigation has led to the filing of a lawsuit citing negligence, wrongful death, and violations of state regulations governing Alzheimer’s care. The complaint stresses that Harmony was aware of Catterton’s condition and her high risk of wandering, which is precisely why secured memory care units exist.
In response to inquiries, a Harmony representative expressed condolences to the family and noted that, as the case is in litigation, they could not comment on specifics. The company affirmed its commitment to providing care with compassion and respect.
Authorities continue to investigate this deeply troubling case as the family seeks justice for the loss of their loved one.