The family of 75-year-old Judy Marsh is seeking justice after a devastating series of alleged failures at an Ohio nursing home led to her painful death.
A lawsuit claims staff at Windsor House at Canfield not only neglected Marsh’s medical needs but also misled her family about the seriousness of her condition, ultimately causing her death from sepsis and a Stage 4 pressure ulcer that exposed her bones and led to a deadly bone infection.
A Preventable Death After a Routine Rehab Stay
Judy Marsh had been admitted to Windsor House in December 2024 for rehabilitation after being hospitalized with pneumonia. According to the family’s legal complaint, she had no pressure wounds when she entered the facility.
But just four months later, on April 6, 2025, Marsh died from what the lawsuit calls a completely preventable set of complications:
- Sepsis caused by infected pressure ulcers
- Osteomyelitis, a bone infection linked to prolonged exposure of open wounds to air and bacteria
- E. coli infection in her pelvic bones
What Went Wrong?
The lawsuit, filed by Michael Hill Trial Law, paints a picture of chronic neglect and misleading documentation by the nursing home staff. Despite a physician-ordered plan requiring Judy to be turned and repositioned every two hours to prevent pressure sores, staff allegedly:
- Encouraged Judy to reposition herself, even though she had Multiple Sclerosis and was documented as having limited mobility
- Failed to physically turn or reposition her, allowing pressure wounds to form and worsen
- Neglected to change soiled adult diapers, exposing her open wounds to urine and feces
- Claimed in records that Judy had “no open areas”, even as her wounds worsened to the point of exposing bones and muscles
Hiding the Truth from the Family
Perhaps most heartbreaking, the complaint accuses Windsor House staff of repeatedly lying to Judy’s family, insisting that her pressure wounds were “improving” with treatment. In reality, photographic evidence reportedly shows the ulcer growing deeper and more severe, eventually becoming a full-thickness Stage 4 pressure wound.
The wound reportedly developed leathery scab-like tissue, which deteriorated and created a tunnel deep into her buttocks and pelvis, exposing her gluteal muscles and sacrum.
Rapid Decline Before Death
In the days leading up to her death, Marsh’s condition sharply declined. The complaint says she refused to eat, became weak, and was eventually “almost unarousable.” Her final days were marked by suffering that, her family believes, could have been avoided with basic, proper care.
Legal Action and Accusations
Attorney Michael Hill, representing Marsh’s family, says the case highlights a wider issue in elder care: profit over people. He stated:
“This case reflects an avoidable and incomprehensible breakdown in basic care. Our complaint alleges that a profit-driven business model led to chronic understaffing, and that Judy Marsh paid for that corporate decision with her life.”
Key Allegations in the Lawsuit:
- Failure to follow physician orders for repositioning and wound care
- Inaccurate or falsified documentation of Judy’s condition
- Negligence in basic hygiene, such as timely changing of adult diapers
- Failure to perform regular and accurate skin assessments
- Deception of family members about Judy’s true condition
