Family protest at Smethwick care home after relative's death

Violet Williams had a broken thigh bone for weeks before her death

Family members have gathered to protest outside a care home where a 100-year-old woman was injured.

When Violet Williams died on 28 February, her thigh bone had been broken in three places for weeks, her family said.

Mrs Williams was unable to walk. They believe she sustained the injuries at Ash Lodge Care home, in Smethwick, and are demanding answers.

The care home said it could not comment while the case was being investigated by the coroner.

Relatives of Violet Williams demand action in a protest outside the Ash Lodge Care home in Smethwick

Mrs Williams was left with bone protruding from her knee when she was taken to hospital in pain on 1 February, her family said.

She was discharged to a different care home after an operation to straighten her leg, where she died a few weeks later.

Granddaughter, Julia Sullivan, said medics found Mrs Williams had fractures sustained at different times

Her family said hospital records suggested one break was already six weeks old by the time Mrs Williams was admitted, with two other injuries two weeks old.

"It's horrific," her granddaughter Julia Sullivan said.

"We thought Nan was being looked after by people who actually cared and she wasn't."

Her grandson Mark Simpson described "Nanny Vi" as a lovely woman.

"We're going to do something for her because she loved us and everybody else," he added.

'Totally dependent'

The family were issued with a temporary death certificate, which indicated that her death was due to heart disease, but listed a broken left thigh bone and hip joint among the wider causes.

The discharge note stated that a referral was made to safeguarding as the patient had suffered a trauma injury, but the care home reported no history of trauma or a fall.

West Midlands Police conducted inquiries but said no criminal offences had been identified and it was now in the hands of the Black Country Coroner.

Mrs Williams' family said they could not understand how she sustained such injuries when she was totally dependent on others for her care.

They said they hoped their demonstration outside the care home, which is rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, would help provide answers.