The tragic death of a Florida nursing home resident has sparked a legal battle, as the estate of the deceased has filed a lawsuit against two companies responsible for her care. The Estate of Bernice Deas, represented by Hazeline Parkinson, lodged the complaint in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida on March 5, 2025. The defendants named in this case are Clearwater Care Acquisition, LLC and Citadel Care Group, LLC.

According to the court documents, Bernice Deas was admitted to a nursing home operated by Clearwater Care Acquisition (referred to as “LICENSEE”) and managed by Citadel Care Group (referred to as “MANAGEMENT”) located at 2055 Palmetto St., Clearwater, FL. During her stay at the facility, Deas suffered from several preventable injuries due to alleged negligence by both LICENSEE and MANAGEMENT. These injuries included skin breakdowns, falls, wandering incidents, infections, malnutrition, and dehydration. Tragically, these conditions persisted until her death on January 15, 2024.

The plaintiff claims that both defendants violated Chapter 400 of the Florida Statutes which sets standards for operating nursing homes. They allege that LICENSEE failed in its duty to provide reasonable care and supervision to residents like Deas. Specific accusations include failing to prevent physical injury and abuse; not properly assessing risks such as skin breakdown or falls; neglecting timely medical consultations; not providing adequate nutrition or hydration; among others.