Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

A nursing home owner whose former employee died of an overdose is being sued  in San Luis Obispo (CA) Superior Court.

Surviving family members say the owner should be held liable for allegedly not properly supervising the destruction of narcotics, nor maintaining drug logs.

The adult children of Michelle Hughes are suing Pacific Christian Senior Services, owner of Atascadero Christian Community. 

Hughes died in April 2014 from a morphine overdose. The lawsuit claims the drug was given to Hughes by a fellow employee who either passed along expired “morphine she was supposed to destroy” or “substituted the expired morphine for non-expired morphine intended for patients.” Hughes was a dietary supervisor at the facility for 10 years.

A spokesman for Pacific Christian Senior Services declined comment