A former model living in a Georgia nursing home died from a massive scabies infestation that ate her alive over the course of months or years. Rebecca Zeni, 93, died in 2015 from a scabies outbreak at the facility. Her official cause of death was septicemia due to crusted scabies, and despite being notified several times about the scabies infestation at the nursing home facility did not inspect it. The forensic pathologist who reviewed the case stated that Zeni was infested with millions of scabies parasites at the time of her death.
Zeni’s daughter moved her to the nursing home facility in 2010 after she was diagnosed with dementia. Scabies is a painful condition where parasite mites burrow into the skin to lay their eggs and survive on the body. The infestation was so bad for Zeni that one of her hands was blackened with the infestation and staff was warned not to touch it, for fear that her hand would fall off. The former chief medical officer of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation claimed it was one of the most horrendous things he had ever seen in his career as a forensic pathologist. He reported that Zeni most likely died a long and painful death over the course of months or years.
Despite the multiple reports of scabies, the Georgia state health department did not inspect the facility and instead just emailed the facility a guide on how to treat scabies. Eleven days later, Zeni died. The nursing home’s logs reported multiple cases of scabies throughout 2013, 2014, and 2015 prior to Zeni’s death. The nursing home has denied all culpability in her death.
Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse takes many forms, including through the lack of care, hygiene, and attention to patients. Claims of nursing home abuse are taken very seriously, and residents harmed by their caretakers are entitled to compensation for the injuries caused. Damages for nursing home abuse includes compensation for current and future medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, and disfigurement. For the most serious cases, where a nursing home resident dies as a result of the abuse, the family of the victim can also sue the facility for wrongful death. This includes compensation for burial and funeral costs, any final medical bills, and for the loss of companionship, love, and security of their loved one. An experienced nursing home abuse attorney can review the facts of your case and advise you as to whether you have a viable claim against the nursing home facility for abuse of your loved one.
Contact Our Office Today
Do you suspect that the nursing home where your loved one is residing has abused them? If so, you may have a claim against them for nursing home abuse. Call the office or contact Julie A. Rice, Attorney at Law today to schedule a free review of your case to determine whether your family member has been abused.