Somerset Court of Cherryville has reached a settlement with state regulators after officials concluded the assisted living community improperly discharged a longtime resident and left her at a hospital. Under the agreement, the facility will pay a reduced administrative penalty and provide staff training on how residents can be discharged. The case drew scrutiny from the resident’s family and state inspectors after her hospital stay stretched on while regulators reviewed what the home had done.
According to WCNC Charlotte, the settlement requires Somerset Court to pay $1,000 and to complete resident-discharge training for staff. WCNC reports that the resident, Freda Reynolds, spent about 53 days in the hospital after the facility declined to readmit her following a medical stay. Reynolds and her family told reporters they believe the move was retaliatory because she had raised complaints about conditions at the home.
State Records Show A Serious Violation
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services logged the case as a Type A1 violation - the agency’s label for serious neglect - and initially listed a $3,500 administrative penalty. An enforcement list from N.C. DHHS shows the citation and penalty following an April 2025 complaint investigation. The facility’s April 9, 2025 inspection report from the Division of Health Service Regulation details failures to provide required written discharge notices, explain appeal rights, and issue refunds within required timeframes; the full findings are available in an inspection report from N.C. DHHS.
Family Reaction And Facility Response
Reynolds and her relatives told reporters the discharge felt punitive and that it damaged her health and dignity. Family members described the treatment as “dumping,” according to WCNC Charlotte. The family has sought legal counsel and pushed the facility for accountability, the outlet reports. Somerset Court administrators told investigators they believed they could not safely meet Reynolds’ care needs at the time, an explanation they provided during the state probe.
What The Settlement Does - And Doesn't
Under the deal, Somerset Court must complete discharge-procedure training for staff and pay a $1,000 administrative penalty, but the Type A1 citation remains on the state’s books. An enforcement page from N.C. DHHS outlines how the department uses a mix of corrective steps and monetary fines when investigating adult-care complaints.
Reynolds’ family has said they hope the settlement pushes the facility to improve and encourages tougher oversight across similar homes. The state posts enforcement actions, inspection reports, and penalty records online for families and advocates to review.
