Lawsuit claims Kent County adult foster resident died after bathtub scalding

A lawsuit has been filed against a Kent County adult foster care company, claiming an employee failed to properly check the temperature of a resident's bathwater. The man was scalded and later died, the lawsuit claims.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A Kent County company that operates adult foster care homes is facing a lawsuit claiming that a resident was badly scalded in a bathtub and later died.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday, Aug. 2, in Kent County Circuit Court against Thresholds Inc.

In it, an attorney for the estate of Robert Hoffman claims an employee drew his bathwater on Feb. 21, 2022.

Hoffman had severe autism, cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments and physical limitations and “wholly depended” on the home’s staff for help with day-to-day activities, according to the lawsuit.

The employee later told others she checked the bath water and it was lukewarm, but she later found Hoffman in the tub in a fetal position and making choking noises. She called for help.

Emergency workers arrived and needed to do CPR on Hoffman.

At Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital, an intensive care unit doctor noted that Hoffman was “severely burned on his legs, groin area, and buttocks, thought to be caused by hot water from the bathtub faucet,” according to the lawsuit.

He died the next day.

The attorney for Hoffman’s estate, Jon Marko, wrote in the lawsuit that police later checked the faucet water to get the maximum temperature. It registered at 128 degrees, above the standard of 105-120 degrees required by the Michigan Department of Regulatory Affairs (MDLRA) for adult foster care homes.

Marko also wrote that Hoffman, because of his disabilities, could not get in or out of the tub on his own.

The lawsuit claims Thresholds was negligent and alleged the employee was not adequately trained.

Thresholds released a statement to MLive about the lawsuit. Company officials said Thresholds has a good record with MDLRA and no outstanding violations.

“For nearly 50 years, Thresholds has been a trusted provider of services to adults living with developmental disabilities throughout the greater Grand Rapids area. We are devoted to empowering these persons to lead meaningful, connected lives,” the company stated.

“All Thresholds Adult Foster Care homes are regularly inspected by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, with none having outstanding violations. We care deeply about any loss of life and take these matters very seriously. It is unfortunate that these allegations are now the subject of litigation, as we were actively working toward a resolution as part of a formal mediation process,” the statement read.

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