BELLEVILLE - A care home faces accusations in a lawsuit that its staff neglected a resident to the point of abuse.
Alexis Jackson, who holds power of attorney for her mother Airiauna Edwards, claims the older woman had to be admitted to a hospital suffering from various ailments which are ascribed to neglect while residing at Autumn Meadows of Cahokia.
Jackson filed suit Nov. 5 against the owners, Cahokia Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, claiming violations of the Nursing Home Care Act which states that a resident shall not be abused or neglected. The defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Madison Record.
Prior to her admittance to Memorial Hospital in late July 2019, Edwards, age 51, was a resident at the Cahokia home as she suffered from a number of serious health issues, in particular a brain injury that left her physically and mentally disabled. She has dementia and is diabetic, the suit says.
Following admission to Memorial, Edwards was "diagnosed as septic, with multiple pressure wounds, including on her right foot, hip...and...sacral region," the suit says. She also had a urinary tract infection along with bruising on her left side of the face and a "black eye," according to the complaint.
Jackson, in her complaint, accuses the care center of breaching its duty to the plaintiff and states it is "guilty of abuse and/or neglect" for failing to provide adequate supervision and staff, failing to tend to skin conditions, allowing a urinary tract and ulcers in various parts of the body to develop, and not keeping Edwards clean and sanitary.
"Due to one or more conditions developing due to neglect, plaintiff was transferred from defendant's facility to Memorial Hospital on July 28, 2019," the complaint states.
"Plaintiff remained hospitalized and was discharged from Memorial Hospital on August 2, 2019 to Granite City Nursing and Rehabilitation." Medical expenses exceeded $24,258, the complaint adds.
The plaintiff, who is represented by Lanny Darr of Darr Law Offices in Alton, is seeking more than $50,000.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2019-L-774.