Two more wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against Sunnyview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Butler in connection with the deaths of patients cared for by former nurse Heather Pressdee.

The families of patients Irene Simons, 78, and Sandra Lincoln, 82, filed separate lawsuits last week against Sunnyview Operating LLC and Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, according to the Butler County Court of Common Pleas website.

Pressdee, of Harrison, is being held in the Butler County jail, charged with killing at least two nursing home patients in another facility. State prosecutors have connected her to the deaths of at least 17 patients, including Simons and Lincoln, at nursing homes in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong and Butler counties between 2020 and 2023.

According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General, she is accused of intentionally administering excessive amounts of insulin to patients. She is charged for the mistreatment of 22 patients in total, 17 of whom died. The victims ranged in age from 43 to 104.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of Lincoln by Lupetin & Unatin LLC argues that Sunnyview was negligent in hiring Pressdee and is liable for the acts of its staff. The lawsuit states Pressdee had been employed at 10 nursing homes in four years before Sunnyview and already had been investigated for abusive behavior against patients and staff at each place she had worked before being employed at Sunnyview.

Sunnyview officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment but said previously the company is cooperating with investigators in the criminal cases against Pressdee.

The suit argues that staff members at Sunnyview were negligent by failing to prevent Pressdee from administering unnecessary insulin to Lincoln, failing to inform the Pennsylvania Department of Health of unusual deaths at the facility and failing to report or act on reports regarding suspected abuse, among other claims. Lincoln’s lawsuit also includes Premier Healthcare Management LLC as a defendant.

Lincoln’s family is seeking damages in excess of $35,000 and demands a trial by jury.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of Simons by Dallas W. Hartman P.C. claims Sunnyview acted in ways that were negligent, careless or reckless by failing to protect Simons from harm or injury and failing to recognize Pressdee posed a risk to residents, among other actions or lack of actions. Similar to Lincoln’s suit, Simons’ mentions that Sunnyview “ignored industry policies” by neglecting to conduct an appropriate background check on Pressdee.

The suit explains that Sunnyview tasked Pressdee with “addressing any resident care concerns, conducting internal investigations regarding residents and staff and investigating allegations of abuse.” The suit claimed that because of this role, any complaints of resident abuse at the nursing home would go through Pressdee.

The lawsuit contains five counts, including negligence, vicarious liability and infliction of emotional distress. Simons’ family seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial.

This is the fourth lawsuit filed against Sunnyview. The families of Nicholas Cymbol, 43, and Marguerite Laskovich, 80, filed wrongful death lawsuits in March.

Wrongful death suits also have been filed against other facilities where Pressdee worked, including Guardian Healthcare and its facility in Lower Burrell, Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, against which four suits also have been filed.

Those suits, on behalf of patients Jack Allen Rogers, Norman Paul Hendrickson, Marianne Bower and Mary Colwell, make similar allegations of wrongful death and negligence on the part of the nursing home operator.

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