On behalf of Lonzo Adams and his family the Terry Law Firm filed a wrongful death lawsuit against MMA Healthcare of Vibrunum, Inc. d/b/a Stonecrest Healthcare. In his Petition,  Lonzo Adams’ son alleged that his father choked to death on March 29. 2025 as a result of a lack of supervision and negligent care.

A Closer Look at Stonecrest Healthcare Facility

Stonecrest Healthcare is a nursing home located at 2 State Hwy. Y, Viburnham, Missouri 65566. On their website, this facility notes that it provides care to geriatric and mental health care individuals and “strives to exceed quality standards”.

According to Medicare’s rating system, Stonecrest Healthcare averages just 2 hours and 35 minutes of nursing staff time per resident each day. This is significantly lower than both the Missouri state average of 3 hours and 22 minutes and the national average of 3 hours and 51 minutes. As a result, Medicare assigned Stonecrest a 1-star staffing rating — the lowest possible — which is defined as “Much Below Average.”

Reliant Care Management Company, LLC is a Missouri limited liability company which manages skilled nursing home facilities in the state of Missouri, including Stonecrest Healthcare. As the management company, it is believed that Reliant Care Management oversees all management, staffing, fiscal budgeting, oversight, risk management, regulatory compliance, implementation and enforcement of policies and procedures at the Stonecrest Healthcare facility.

Because of the joint enterprise, Plaintiff has alleged that Defendants owed a joint duty to Lonzo Adams to use reasonable care for his safety while he was under their care and supervision at Stonecrest Healthcare.

Allegations of the Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Lonzo Adams became a resident at Stonecrest Healthcare in January 2024. Upon admission the defendants knew he had suffered a stroke making it difficult to communicate, had difficulty swallowing and was at risk for aspiration. He also suffered from anxiety, schizoaffective disorder and insomnia. On March 29, 2024, Lonzo Adams choked to death as a direct result of lack of supervision and negligent care.

In January 2024 the defendants noted in his care plan: “Skilled nursing to develop, manage and evaluate or reassess the care plan to meet Lonzo’s medical needs, promote recovery and ensure medical safety and monitoring needs for the acute medical status. Skilled nursing to increase frequency of assessment of behavior monitoring (aggressive/hostile behavior, harm to self or suicidal ideation). Behavior monitoring will increase with frequency during the skilled timeframe.” A few days later it was noted that Lonzo required set up and cleanup assistance with eating. In March 2024 its noted that Lonzo was at risk for aspiration and could not eat in his room. A new care plan was prepared in March 2024 identifying Lonzo’s swallowing difficulties, and that staff was to check his mouth after each meal.

Importantly, during his residency there were times when Lonzo had expressed his desire to harm himself. Then, at other times, he expressed no desire for self-harm. Due to the inconsistencies the defendants initiated a requirement to physically check on Lonzo on an hourly basis.

On March 29, 2024, Lonzo attended an Easter party at Stonecrest Healthcare. At some point during the day, he obtained several orange beads. That same day Lonzo had expressed a desire for self-harm and that he missed his deceased wife. He also spelled out the word “DIE” on his communication board. Despite multiple distressing signs, Stonecrest failed to provide additional supervision and failed to perform the one-hour checks on him for the remainer of the day. Lonzo was allowed back to his room where he subsequently swallowed five orange beads while he was unsupervised. He was found choking at 4:55pm. He later died as a direct result of choking on the beads.

You can read the full petition here:

Plaintiff alleges in this lawsuit that Stonecrest Healthcare and Reliant Care Management Company, LLC failed to provide Mr. Adams with sufficiently trained and qualitied staff members to recognize his care needs and to properly supervise him. As a direct result of their care Mr. Lonzo Adams suffered greatly and died.