Man fed unsafe burger, fries despite swallowing issues, lawsuit claims

A Missouri resident with a "high risk of choking without constant oversight" due to a unique disability was served a turkey burger and fries by a caregiver who then left the vicinity and upon returning said, "go throw it up" as he began to choke, a lawsuit alleges.

James Showmaker, aged 57, from St. Louis, ended up brain dead following the "frightening and painful" incident, leading his sister and relatives to end life support three days later. 

They are now suing the caregiver, Tara Whitehead, and the Easterseals facility he was residing in June 2025, according to their legal case.

"James shouldn't have died in this manner," the case claims. "His Individual Service Plan (ISP) clearly specified he must be observed while eating to ensure he counts to 20 between bites. Tara Whitehead acknowledged she failed to do so."

The family explains that Showmaker was "born with and lived with" a rare condition called Prader-Willi Syndrome, or PWS. 

They describe a "key symptom" of PWS as hyperphagia: an overwhelming, constant feeling of hunger with preoccupations about food; an intense urge to eat; behavior issues related to food; and a lack of normal fullness.

"PWS not only influences how much food is consumed but also affects the pace of eating," the case details. 

"People with PWS have weakened muscles, including those in the throat used for swallowing. Combined with a developmental pattern of eagerly seeking and consuming food, individuals with PWS are at a high risk of choking or dangerously overeating when their access to and intake of food isn't strictly monitored and managed."

The family states that careful supervision during meals is essential and often needs the person with PWS to have their food "cut into small pieces," with a supervisor present who ensures tasks like counting to 20 or flipping playing cards after each bite, according to the case.

On June 20, 2025, Whitehead served as "fill-in staff" at the Easterseals PWS home in Crestwood, where Showmaker resided. 

"She provided him a turkey burger and fries," the case conveys. "She confessed to leaving the room afterward, directly opposing James' ISP."

Showmaker collapsed from oxygen deprivation, and Whitehead dialed 911. She reportedly didn't know the number of the Easterseals home. Furthermore, Whitehead neglected to unlock the door for emergency services, "losing precious moments while James was oxygen-deprived," the case suggests.

"James's brain went too long without oxygen," the document alleges. "By the time he reached the hospital, he was brain dead. James endured profound suffering during the entire episode."

According to the family, Showmaker experienced seizures and developed sepsis after being hospitalised. He passed away three days later when life support was discontinued.

Showmaker's family contends Whitehead conceded that Easterseals never mandated her to study Showmaker's ISP. "If there was any training regarding PWS, it was severely insufficient," their case argues. "After all, Easterseals had her as 'fill-in staff.'"

The family asserts Showmaker's ISP clearly indicated that "one critical factor is that FOOD is the KILLER," and caregivers must safeguard Showmaker "from preventable harm or death," as observed from the case.

Easterseals was unavailable for comment on Sunday. Valerie Hoven, the vice president of communications for Easterseals Midwest, informed the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the organisation cannot discuss pending legal affairs. 

She declined to disclose if Whitehead, who couldn’t be reached for comment, remains employed there.