Shelba Catterton, an 83-year-old resident of a nursing home, died after sustaining approximately 1,000 bites and stings from a swarm of fire ants. According to a legal complaint filed by her family, the incident occurred after Catterton, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, was able to exit the facility through a door that had been left open by an employee.

The lawsuit alleges that the nursing home failed to provide adequate supervision and security for a vulnerable patient, leading to the fatal encounter with the insects. The family contends that the facility’s negligence directly resulted in Catterton wandering into an area where she was vulnerable to the swarm. While the specific details regarding the facility's internal protocols remain under investigation, the legal filing highlights the tragic intersection of patient vulnerability and facility oversight. As of this report, the nursing home has not publicly released a detailed response to the specific allegations contained in the lawsuit, though such cases typically center on whether the facility met standard-of-care requirements for memory-care patients.