Elderly dementia patient who couldn't speak suffered horrific death at hands of FIRE ANTS while under care of nursing home, family claims

By JOE HUTCHISON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:22, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 18:22, 24 August 2026 A dementia patient died after being swarmed by fire ants who bit and stung her over 1,000 times after she was left to wander on her own, a lawsuit claimed.  Shelba Catterton, 83, died earlier this month after being attacked in July outside of her care facility Harmony at West Ashley in Charleston, South Carolina.  Catterton, whose family were paying up $6,280 per month for her to stay there, was nonverbal and depended entirely on caregivers, her family said.  In a lawsuit filed against the facility seen by the Daily Mail, Catterton's children claimed she was left unsupervised and able to leave the facility when she encountered the ants.  A worker left a door propped open and she was able to leave 'unnoticed and unsupervised' before being 'locked out, alone in the dark,' the suit claimed.  That was when she came to rest on 'one or more' fire ant mounds, the suit said, which 'swarmed Shelba's body,' the suit added. The suit claimed that they bit and stung her upwards of 1,000 times across her face, eyes, scalp, back, chest and all of her limbs and extremities.  Catterton's degenerative illness meant she was unable to cry out for her help and 'lay in the dark, alone, being bitten over and over,' the suit added.  Shelba Catterton, 83, died earlier this month after being attacked in July outside of her care facility The suit claimed that they bit and stung her upwards of 1,000 times across her face, eyes, scalp, back, chest and all of her limbs and extremities According to the lawsuit, Catterton was left outside overnight and wasn't found until the next afternoon, July 24. The suit claims that even after finding her outside, staff at the facility failed to call 911 to have her taken to hospital.  Her daughter Janane Buice instead claimed in the suit that it was only at her insistence on July 25 did they actually call 911.  She arrived at the facility that day and according to the suit noticed 'there was not a spot' on her mother's back that 'was not covered with bites'.  In a recording of the 911 call made from the facility, a worker told an operator: 'She was found outside, and I guess a bunch of ants were on her. 'She has bumps all over back, all over her face, it's pretty bad. They really did eat up on her.' The suit said the worker on the phone, identified only as Jasmine in court papers, demonstrated how little the facility knew about Catterton.  When asked by the 911 operator of her age, she responded: 'Off the top of my head, I don't know. I would say about the 80s, something.' Catterton's family were paying $6,280 per month for her to stay there According to the lawsuit, Catterton was left outside overnight and wasn't found until the next afternoon Medical reports from staff mentioned in the suit said physicians documented 'unnumerable pustules due to known ant bites' It added that the physicians looking after her connected the bites to 'life-threatening complications' It is also claimed in the lawsuit that the worker gave the 911 operator the wrong address for the facility.  The suit said: 'The 911 call is the clearest evidence in this case of how Harmony treated Shelba Catterton and her injuries. 'Reported late, by an employee who was not with her, who did not know how old she was, who did not know the address of the building she worked in, and who did not tell the dispatcher what Harmony had done.' After eventually being taken from the facility by emergency crews, she was transported to Bon Secours Roper St. Francis Hospital.  Medical reports from staff mentioned in the suit said physicians documented 'unnumerable pustules due to known ant bites' on her.  They also noted that on arrival at the facility she was suffering from both hypothermia and pneumonia, the suit said.  It added that the physicians looking after her connected the bites to 'life-threatening complications'.  The suit said she spent eight days in hospital where she was kept under constant care and given intravenous antibiotics and steroids.  Catterton is seen here alongside her three children, Sherri, left, her son Richard, who is standing behind her, and her daughter Janane, right The lawsuit claimed her body was swarmed by fire ants who stung and bit her over 1000 times Over two weeks after being attacked by the swarm of ants, she passed away on August 7 Her health declined on July 28, with physicians telling the family on July 31 that there was nothing more they could do. She was then put into hospice care, the suit said. The family remained by her bedside until she passed away on August 7, 15 days after being found outside of her care home.  Autopsy and toxicology results are still pending, the Charleston County Coroner's Office said.  Her daughter's filed the wrongful death suit claiming the facility was negligent and violated state laws.   The suit said: 'Harmony departed from prevailing and acceptable professional standards of care and treatment of Shelba Catterton.' It added that the group was 'negligent, careless, grossly negligent, reckless, willful, and wanton and in violation of the duties owned to Shelba.' The suit has asked for damages to be paid to her estate in an amount to be determined at trial, it added.  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 Daily Mail has approached the company for further comment.