At a Glance
- Alvera Meuti, 84, died of hypothermia after being locked outside an Ohio nursing home on Dec. 23, 2024
- Nurse Amber Henderson failed to report her missing at 9:30 p.m.; a “Code Purple” wasn’t called until 6:30 a.m.
- Henderson faces involuntary-manslaughter charges; the facility and its owners are now sued for wrongful death
- Why it matters: The lawsuit alleges systemic understaffing and a broken exit-door alarm allowed a vulnerable resident to freeze mere feet from safety
An 84-year-old woman with multiple health conditions froze to death on a locked patio just outside her Ohio nursing-home door, and her family says it never should have happened.
A wrongful-death lawsuit filed against Avenue at Warrensville Care and Rehabilitation Center, its corporate owners, and nurse Amber Henderson claims Alvera Meuti was left unattended for hours after staff realized she was missing. The temperature dropped overnight; Meuti, unable to get back inside, died of hypothermia.
The Night of Dec. 23, 2024
According to the complaint reviewed by News Of Los Angeles, Henderson discovered Meuti’s room empty during a 9:30 p.m. check but “no report was made, and no action was taken.”
Key timeline:
- 9:30 p.m. – Henderson notices bed empty
- 12:36 a.m. – Henderson calls family; no answer
- 6:30 a.m. – Henderson finally alerts supervisor; “Code Purple” issued
- Minutes later – Meuti found lying on her back on the patio, the exit door locked behind her
The lawsuit says Meuti’s room sat adjacent to an exterior door “that was left unlocked despite the fact that a keypad and alarm should have been present.” Once outside, she could not re-enter; the alarm never sounded.
Criminal Case Against Nurse
Last March a Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Henderson on:
- One count involuntary manslaughter
- One count patient neglect, a misdemeanor
Police arrested her January 16, 2025. She has pleaded not guilty; her next court date is January 27.
Defense attorney Charles W. Bennett told Fox 8 that Henderson “did nothing wrong” and vowed to “vigorously defend her.”
Civil Suit Allegations
The family’s suit accuses the facility and its operators of:
- Chronic understaffing
- Failing to secure exit doors
- Neglecting to follow missing-resident protocols
“Alvera’s injuries and death were the result of the entity Defendants’ failure to ensure that the Facility was properly staffed and that the Facility was properly secured,” the filing states.
Meuti, classified as a high-risk resident, required regular wellness checks. The suit contends those checks were skipped or ignored for roughly nine hours while she remained outside in freezing conditions.
Facility Response
Attorneys for the corporate owners did not respond to News Of Los Angeles‘s requests for comment.
Ohio health-department inspection reports have not yet been released, and the center continues to operate.
Key Takeaways
- System failure: A single broken alarm and skipped protocol allegedly cost a woman her life
- Double jeopardy: Henderson faces both criminal prosecution and civil liability
- Ongoing risk: The lawsuit seeks policy changes to prevent similar tragedies while the home remains open
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