Nursing Home Death Lawsuit Ends in $1.2M Verdict
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Neglect Behind Closed Doors: The Death of Denis Fleurantin and the Lawsuit That Followed
On April 6, 2020, Krystal Bay Nursing and Rehabilitation admitted Denis Fleurantin following a hemorrhagic stroke. Hollywood Memorial Hospital transferred him after stabilizing his condition and issuing clear medical orders. Doctors directed the facility to administer continuous oxygen, provide regular suctioning, conduct chest X-rays, and arrange a cardiology consult. Denis arrived alert but completely dependent on skilled nursing care. Although he tested negative for COVID-19, staff placed him in respiratory isolation. His wife, Marie Fleurantin, and daughter, Nadine, attempted to contact him through Zoom, but the facility blocked or delayed communication.
Orders Ignored, Signs Missed
Krystal Bay staff failed to follow the doctor’s instructions. They did not document whether Denis received oxygen or any of the required diagnostics. No records showed chest X-rays were taken, and the facility never scheduled a cardiology consult. As his condition declined, nursing notes remained incomplete. During a Zoom call on April 7, Nadine noticed her father’s mouth filled with secretions. She alerted staff, but no one responded. Denis struggled to breathe. Staff failed to suction his airway or provide critical assessments. The facility ignored clear signs of respiratory distress.
Help Arrived Too Late
In the early hours of April 8, 2020, nursing staff finally called 911. At 1:58 a.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at Krystal Bay. They found Denis in respiratory failure, burning with a 105-degree fever, and gasping with an oxygen level of 70%. His airway was blocked with vomit and fluids. Instead of assisting, staff walked out of the room. Paramedics reported that nurses refused to give patient history or respond to basic questions. Emergency personnel began suctioning his airway and administered high-flow oxygen. They transported him immediately to Aventura Hospital.
A Preventable Death
Doctors in the emergency room tried to save Denis. He coded three times within hours of arrival. Although they revived him twice, he did not survive the third cardiac arrest. Hospital staff pronounced him dead at 7:09 a.m. According to the lawsuit, this death was preventable. The facility ignored medical orders, delayed emergency response, and failed to monitor vital signs. His family never received accurate updates and had no chance to say goodbye. The failure to act cost Denis Fleurantin his life.
A Widow’s Search for Justice
Marie Fleurantin filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Watercrest Acquisition I, LLC and Riverfront Acquisition I, LLC, the owners of Krystal Bay. She accused them of violating her husband’s rights and breaching their duty of care. The complaint alleged negligence, gross negligence, and abandonment. Marie claimed the facility ignored obvious symptoms, refused to act when her husband’s condition declined, and failed to assist emergency responders. The suit described a pattern of inaction that directly contributed to Denis’s death.
The Cost of Neglect
Marie sought damages for funeral expenses, medical costs, and the emotional toll of losing her husband. She also claimed loss of companionship, services, and support. On behalf of the estate, she pursued compensation for Denis’s pain, suffering, and loss of dignity in his final hours. The lawsuit outlined specific violations of Florida’s resident rights laws, negligence standards, and health care regulations. It detailed failures in policy, staffing, training, and emergency protocol.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff: Marie Fleurantin
Counsel for Plaintiff: Christopher W. Royer, Esq.
Defendants: Watercrest Acquisition, LLC d/b/a Krystal Bay Nursing and Rehabilitation | Riverfront Acquisition, LLC d/b/a Bay Vue Nursing and Rehabilitation
Counsel for Defendants: Noelle K. Sheeha | Melissa Deann Krepps | Karen C.D. McDonald
A Call for Accountability
The lawsuit did more than request financial relief. It demanded accountability. According to the complaint, staff left Denis alone in his final moments, unwilling to offer even the most basic assistance. Emergency responders documented the silence, the empty hands, and the absence of care. Now, his widow asked the court to do what his caregivers did not acknowledge the harm, accept responsibility, and ensure this never happened again.
Defense
Both Watercrest Acquisition and Riverfront Acquisition denied liability in their answers to the complaint. Watercrest denied most factual allegations, admitted limited facts for jurisdictional purposes, and challenged the sufficiency of the complaint. It raised seventeen affirmative defenses, including claims that Denis Fleurantin’s injuries stemmed from pre-existing conditions, the natural aging process, or third-party negligence. It also argued that it met the standard of care, Plaintiff failed to meet statutory pre-suit conditions under Chapter 400, Florida Statutes, and that any damages should be reduced due to collateral sources, comparative fault, or failure to mitigate.
Riverfront, meanwhile, asserted that Denis Fleurantin was never a resident at its facility and thus owed no duty of care. It denied all substantive allegations and asserted twenty-two affirmative defenses. These included the absence of a patient relationship, third-party or self-inflicted causation, compliance with the professional standard of care, improper pleading under the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, and improper expansion of statutory resident rights. Both Defendants demanded a jury trial.
Jury Verdict
On 4 June, 2025, the Court found in favor of the Plaintiff, Marie Fleurantin, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Denis Fleurantin, and awarded total damages in the amount of $1.2 million. The verdict acknowledged the physical, emotional, and financial harm suffered as a result of the negligence and rights violations committed by the Defendants, Watercrest Acquisition I, LLC and Riverfront Acquisition I, LLC, in connection with the care and wrongful death of Denis Fleurantin.