Family of coronavirus victim sues Michigan nursing home

The family of a coronavirus victim is suing a Michigan nursing home where 19 residents died amid claims staff were told masks would scare patients. 

Dennis Williams claims he saw employees of the Villages of Lapeer home in Michigan not wearing masks, gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE) when he came to visit his 68-year-old mother through the window.

Williams  and former employees are suing the home, alleging that the managers refused to carry out coronavirus tests on staff members or let staff stay home if they had a fever. 

Villages of Lapeer is also accused of refusing to allow employees to wear masks or PPE during the initial weeks of the pandemic in mid-March, because they would ‘scare the residents’.

Nineteen residents of the home have passed away from Covid-19, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, accounting for almost half of the 34 coronavirus deaths in Lapeer County. 

Williams’ mother passed away from coronavirus on April 7, two days after she was transferred to a hospital from the home. 

‘They (the facilities) actually took the precautions,’ Williams told USA Today. 

‘And that’s what p****s me off, is that when we’d go see Mom through the window and it wasn’t the workers’ fault – I had talked to several of them – they just were just being told they could not wear the stuff.’ 

Williams, his step-father and his brother are suing the nursing home alongside three former nursing assistants who worked at the home. 

One former employee alleges a mask was ripped off her face by the director of nursing, who accused her of scaring patients. 

The lawsuit filed by Minifield and Harden in mid-March alleges that during the week of March 16th, the director of nursing informed all staff they were not allowed to wear PPE, specifically but not limited to masks, because it would ‘scare the residents.’ 

In a statement, the Villages of Lapeer said: ‘Due to the fact that the matters being inquired about are ongoing, we are not in a position to provide comment. 

‘We can say that The Villages of Lapeer has been and will continue to cooperate with the involved parties.

‘Please be assured that The Villages of Lapeer is committed to continuing to provide high quality care and support to our residents and their families, as well as support for all of our staff during these challenging times.’