Attorney says disabled woman starved to death in VBT group home

A $25 million lawsuit was filed March 14 in Wayne Circuit Court against a Van Buren Township group home for starving to death a totally disabled woman.
Bertha Jones, 71, who was blind, deaf, and wheelchair-bound, was slowly starved to death by the group home over 2½ months, according to a news release from attorney Albert J. Dib of Jefferson Law Center in St. Clair Shores.
The home at 15505 Hoeft Road is owned and operated by Community Spirit Homes, Inc. and Community Living Services, Inc., which are named defendants in the lawsuit, among others.
Dib represents the family of Bertha Jones, who said she was physically and mentally disabled her entire life. The lawsuit alleges that she was deprived of food, water and basic nourishment, resulting in her death on May 2, 2022, from “malnutrition.”
The news release said Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network – Office of Recipient Rights (DWIHN-ORR) investigated and confirmed that the group home’s staff “failed to comply with standard of care or treatment,” and “caused the death of Bertha Jones.”
A copy of the complaint and investigation are available from Dib at Jefferson Law Center, 25615 Jefferson Avenue, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081, (586) 270-4010, fax: 4011; (248) 672-9854 (mobile)
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