State regulators have fined Somerset Court of Cherryville in North Carolina after investigators found the facility unlawfully discharged a seventy two year old resident without following required procedures, violating her rights and causing what officials described as “serious neglect.”
The long term care facility is now appealing the fine, even though it denied the resident the same appeal protections earlier this year.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Somerset Court failed to provide resident Freda Reynolds with mandatory written discharge paperwork and did not inform her of her legal right to appeal the discharge.
Regulators determined that these failures “unnecessarily” extended Reynolds’ hospital stay by fifty three days. Much of that time stemmed from the facility’s refusal to readmit her despite her medical stability.
The state fined Somerset Court three thousand five hundred dollars, a penalty the facility is now appealing.
Reynolds’ daughter, Carrie, told WCNC Charlotte that her mother experienced physical, emotional, and mental harm as a result of the incident.
The family has hired legal counsel and sent a demand letter to the facility’s parent company seeking compensation.
“The end goal is for Somerset and the parent company to realize that it is not OK what they did,” Reynolds said. “It does not need to happen again.”
Despite denying Reynolds her right to appeal, Somerset Court is now invoking its own appeal rights in response to the state sanctions.
Somerset Court told state reviewers it could no longer meet Reynolds’ care needs. The family disputes that explanation, describing the discharge as retaliatory after Reynolds made prior complaints to regulators.
Reynolds was hospitalized for a medical issue when the facility declined to accept her back. She remained stuck in the hospital for weeks until she was finally placed in a new facility in Shelby in March.
Carrie Reynolds emphasized that families rely on nursing homes to provide safe, stable care.
“We are putting her somewhere to give her the best care we can when the family works and cannot do the day to day items,” she said.
This is not the first time the Cherryville facility has drawn scrutiny.
Earlier in 2025, WCNC Charlotte reported that Somerset Court left residents without a functioning call bell system for an entire week in January. State investigators later confirmed the lapse and found it “detrimental to the health and safety” of all residents.
Following the fine in Reynolds’ case, Somerset Court reportedly offered staff training. The facility did not respond to WCNC’s request for comment.
Improper discharges, failure to honor appeal rights, and lack of resident protections are common signs of deeper systemic neglect. When facilities block residents from returning after hospitalization, the result is often prolonged suffering, emotional distress, and preventable harm.
North Carolina’s investigation shows clear failures in resident rights, care planning, and safe discharge processes. For families, it is a reminder that even a low dollar fine can reflect serious lapses in care.
Source: WCNC Charlotte, “Somerset Court of Cherryville fined by state; neglect alleged; family pursuing legal actions,” October 3 2025.
If a nursing home in North Carolina or any other state has neglected a loved one, denied appeal rights, refused readmission after hospitalization, or caused harm through improper discharge, our team can help.
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Source: WCNC
