Texas assisted living facility left woman to freeze to death, authorities said

An Austin, Texas, assisted living home and two of its employees were indicted this week for allegedly neglecting a 73-year-old disabled woman — who eventually froze to death.

Cynthia Pierce was left inside an unheated room at Harvest Renaissance on Feb. 17, 2021, as historic Winter Storm Uri passed through the region.

The windows in the room had also been left wide open, prosecutors said.

The business and two staffers — Executive Director Mendi Ramsay and Wellness Director Rochelle Alvarado — were charged with injury to an elderly person.

Employees at the facility “failed to promptly move and transport” Pierce to a warmer area, according to the indictment.

She was rushed to the hospital with a body temperature of 94 degrees, and later died of hypothermia.

The staffers are also accused of failing to notify the Texas Health and Human Services Commission they lost power during the storm.

“The staff’s conduct was authorized by high-level managerial agents, specifically Mendi Ramsay or Rochelle Alvarado, acting on behalf of Harvest Renaissance-Austin, LLC, within the scope of their official duties,” according to a statement from the district attorney’s office.

Pierce’s daughter, Holly Ferguson, alleged Harvest misrepresented themselves as a licensed care facility, and that their gross negligence led to the woman’s death.

“My Mom was left alone and freezing, and it shouldn’t have happened,” Ferguson said. “We hope this criminal case will force Harvest to take responsibility for their failings and make permanent changes so that something like this never happens again.”

An attorney for Ramsay and Alvarado argued they were not at fault for Pierce’s death and insisted “no crime was committed,” according to KXAN.

Pierce’s relatives have also filed a civil lawsuit against the assisted living facility.