An Iowa City, IA, assisted-living facility paid the family of an elderly woman who died of exposure outside the center $375,000 as part of a legal settlement.

In addition, the Brickford Cottage, owned and operated by Brickford Senior Living Group, Olathe, KS, will donate $5,000 to the local public library in memory of Alice Sutton, who was 90 when she was found dead outside the facility in January of 2004.

According to official reports, Sutton was able to leave the facility during the night because an alarm had been deactivated accidentally.  The facility was cited by the state for six violations, including the faulty alarm following Sutton’s death.

EBY Realty Group operates 14 Bickford Cottages across the state of Iowa.