A 74-year-old Air Force veteran died a horrific death in 2019, after being attacked by waves of fire ants while living at a Department of Veterans Affairs long-term care facility in Georgia. Now, his family is suing Orkin pest control and the federal government.
Joel Marrable, who was bedridden by cancer, was found in his bed by the staff at the VA’s Eagles’ Nest Community Living Center in Atlanta, essentially immobile after the first wave of ants attacked, according to federal court filings. Then a second wave came, and Marrable died two days later.
Marrable was “bitten over one hundred times despite” the defendants “being aware of prior ant infestation issues at Eagle Nest CLC, the ineffectiveness of prior investigative efforts into the origins of the infestations, the failure of prior treatment or remediation efforts, the improper and inadequate use of certain chemicals, inadequate training and the risks, hazards and foreseeable harm from fire ant bites to patients, including Mr. Marrable,” according to the lawsuit.
The civil suit was filed in federal district court Monday by Marrable’s children, Laquana Ross, Jamal Ratchford, and Raquel Reed, and asks for $7.5 million in damages and other costs.
As a consequence, Mr. Marrable suffered severe harm, and, following the second wave of fire ant bites, his condition rapidly declined, and he was left to die prematurely and in discomfort with painful, itchy, inflamed bites ravaging his body,” the lawsuit said according to the Sacramento Bee.
A spokesman said, in an email to Military Times said, “We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends. However, we do not comment on pending litigation.”
According to the suit, Eagles Nest officials were aware of fire ant infestations as early as February 2019 and that “multiple” residents had been suffering fire ant bites or infestations by June 2019.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last May that an investigation into the facility showed multiple failures by staff, and nine staff members were put on leave or reassigned.
Months before Marrable was bitten, a VA report concluded ants had likely colonized the roof of the building.
Last spring, the VA moved all the patients out of the building to other VA facilities in three states, ostensibly to isolate them from the pandemic. Documents reviewed by the AJC show there were also concerns about the insect problem.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram