HOUSTON — A suit against a Houston senior living facility alleges it failed to take any action after a resident's possessions were stolen out of her room while she spent several months in the hospital.
Rori Whittlesey, as representative of the Estate of Jackie Andress filed a complaint May 3 in Harris County District Court against Bridgewood-RCM Property Management LLC doing business as Emerson Pines Senior Living alleging negligence.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, her mother Jackie Andress was a tenant at Emerson Pines Senior Living on Kempwood Drive in Houston and was hospitalized from March 2020, through May 31, 2020, which was her lease termination date. The plaintiff alleges that Emerson Pines denied her and her family access to the facility to remove her mother's belongings due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
She claims that when she was finally allowed entry into her mother's room on May 16, 2020, "numerous items were missing." The plaintiff further claims that there "was no evidence of breaking and entering" into the room and that when she returned on May 23, 2020, to finish packing up her mother's belongings, she noticed items were moved and additional items were missing. The plaintiff alleges that Emerson Pines management was negligent in failing to change the lock on the room or investigate the theft.
The plaintiff seeks monetary relief, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Richard "Trey" Barton, III of The Law Office of Richard L. Barton, III PLLC in Houston.
Harris County District Court case number 2021-26400