Family accuses Ocala nursing home of 96-year-old mother’s wrongful death

A family has sued an Ocala nursing home where their late mother was residing before her death in April, alleging staff failed to develop an “adequate care plan” and monitor their mother enough to prevent her from suffering from “the development and deterioration of dehydration.”

Victoria Pearson, as the personal representative of the estate of her mother, Anne Richards, filed the lawsuit against Bridgewater Park, LLC, in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Marion County on August 22. The company does business as Bridgewater Park Health & Rehabilitation Center and operates a location, along with an assisted living facility, on SW 81st Court in Ocala.

According to the complaint, Richards was suffering from infirmities to the extent that she was “impaired in her ability to adequately provide for her own care and protection.” As a result, she took residency at the facility, although the complaint does not specify when that period began.

During the residency, Pearson and her brother, Ian, allege that staff “failed to develop an adequate care plan and properly monitor and supervise the care and treatment” of their mother.”

“As a direct result of [the facility’s] acts and omissions, Anne Richards suffered the development and deterioration of dehydration,” reads the complaint.

The lawsuit cites several statutorily mandated responsibilities owed to Richards in accordance with state law, including the provision of “adequate and appropriate healthcare and protective and support services,” and the prevention of “mental and physical abuse” to Richards.

The family’s attorneys argue that staff at the facility failed to “properly supervise” Richards, failed to provide “appropriate protective and support services,” and failed to maintain records that “contain sufficient and accurate information to justify her diagnosis and treatment.”

The complaint further cites a lack of “documented evidence of assessments of the needs of” Richards and a lack of the “establishment of appropriate plans of care and treatment.”

The Pearsons allege that staff failed to recognize significant signs and symptoms in the change of their mother’s health status, such as the previously cited dehydration.

Furthermore, they claim that staff at the facility failed to properly notify Richards’ family and physicians of the deterioration in her condition. They say staff also allegedly failed to transfer their mother to a hospital in a timely manner.

The complaint goes on to allege that the company failed to properly supervise and train its staff, that it improperly retained certain staff, and that the facility was inadequately staffed. It claims Richards’ dignity and privacy were not protected, and that the orders of her own physicians were not followed.

“Anne Richards suffered damages, including loss of dignity, humiliation, bodily injury, pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of capacity to enjoy life, discomfort, aggravation of existing diseases or physical defect, medical, hospital, and nursing expenses, and died on April 19, 2025,” reads the complaint.

Richards’ family is seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages, exclusive of attorney’s costs.