An Iowa nursing home where criminal charges were filed over a resident’s death is now being sued for negligence by the resident’s family.
The family of Marvin “Pete” Jacobs, who died in February 2023 at the Fonda Specialty Care nursing home in Pocahontas County, is suing the home’s corporate owners, Care Initiatives of West Des Moines; the home’s assistant director of nursing, Amanda Meyer; licensed practical nurse Becky Sue Manning; and GrapeTree Medical Staffing.
The family is seeking unspecified damages for gross negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Criminal charges of wanton neglect are still pending against Manning, with a trial now scheduled for December.
State records indicate Jacobs was a resident at Fonda Specialty Care from September 2022 through Feb. 19, 2023. Jacobs required skilled nursing care for maintenance of the tracheostomy tube in his neck, which provided an airway for him to breathe. According to the family’s lawsuit, Jacobs’ airway needed to be suctioned every eight hours, at minimum, to keep it clear of any fluids.