JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — The family of a 93-year-old woman who drowned last year is suing the Florida assisted living facility where it happened.
On July 8, 2022, Julia Levy, 93, fell into a pool at Discovery Village at Deerwood in Jacksonville and drowned, according to a report from WJXT.
Records obtained by WJXT show Levy’s family paid the facility an extra $800 per month for someone to keep an eye on her. The facility recommended the additional supervision after they determined she was a fall risk due to bouts of dizziness.
And still, her body laid at the bottom of the pool for 40 minutes before another resident found her. Employees told the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office that they did not notice Levy leaving breakfast. They also said the outdoor security cameras did not work.
“It’s unbelievable that in this day and age, no security, no staff and somebody can be at the bottom of the pool for upwards of 40 minutes or more,” the family’s attorney, Steve Watrel, told WJXT.
Levy’s family moved her down from New York last year to be closer to them. She only lived at Discovery Village for about three months.
“We thought she was probably going to be down here probably five, seven more years,” Levy’s son told WJXT. “So when I got the news of what had happened to her, yeah, it was a shock and it was tough to handle for a while.”
Levy’s son said he feels angry and disappointed that the people he was paying to keep his mother safe did not hold up their end of the deal. Discovery Village provided a statement to WJXT that reads: “We express our continued condolences to the family. Due to confidentiality and out of respect for the family we are unable to comment at this time.”
According to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office report obtained by WJXT, no Discovery Village employees have been charged with Levy’s death.