(RNN) - Rebecca Zeni worked in a naval yard during World War II. Once known for her beauty, she modeled in New York and worked at a TV station in Chicago.
She died at 93 covered in crusted scabies at a nursing home Lafayette, GA, in 2015. A forensic pathologist estimates millions of parasitic mites ate her alive over the span of several months, perhaps even years, according to an investigative report by 11Alive.
Scabies, while treatable, is an excruciating skin condition caused by parasitic mites burrowing into skin, laying eggs and surviving off a host's body.
Zeni’s family has filed a lawsuit against Pruitt Health, which operates Shepherd Hills Nursing Home. It alleges state health officials knew about a scabies outbreak at the nursing home but did not order an inspection, according to 11Alive.
Stephen Chance, one of the family’s attorneys, told 11Alive the staff had been told not to touch Zeni’s hand because they feared it would fall off her body.
Pruitt Health's legal team denied all claims in the lawsuit in a statement, according to 11Alive
“[Pruitt Health] denies that it is a medical or healthcare provider and it, therefore, owed no legal duty to Plaintiff or Ms. Rebecca Zeni for which it could be held liable in this litigation,” the statement said.
WARNING: Some of the images shown in this video are extremely graphic and some viewers might find them disturbing:
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