Husband, wife die weeks apart at Salisbury nursing home because of COVID-19

SALISBURY, N.C. — Channel 9 has been bringing the community every development about The Citadel Salisbury for weeks.

State data shows it has the highest number of confirmed cases in the state. As of Friday, May 15, the facility had 157 confirmed coronavirus cases and 18 deaths.

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Family members said husband and wife, Bobby Jean Watkins and Eddie Watkins, are among the 18 people who died at the facility.

The couple, of 30 years, died just weeks apart and family members said no one at the facility told them they had COVID-19.

“Three weeks apart I had to bury my grandfather and my grandmother,” said Naticha Murray. “She died alone. We couldn’t see her. We couldn’t touch her.”

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Channel 9 reached out to Accordius Health, the company that owns The Citadel Salisbury. A spokesperson sent a statement Friday evening saying:

“It has been 38 days since Citadel Salisbury learned of their first COVID case. Alongside local and state officials in NC, hospital and community partners the Citadel team has persevered; diligently caring for the people who consider them companions when their own family cannot be there. When asked about notification of family members back in April, our response is that residents and or responsible parties who contact information that we had were notified by a staff member, the nurse practitioner or the physician.”

The spokesperson also talked about looking forward to a stage of recovery.

An attorney has already filed a lawsuit against The Citadel Salisbury and its owners. No hearing has been scheduled in that case at this point.