DPH Closes Southwinds ALF

WLTX reported the closure of Southwinds Assisted Living facility located in Kerman, South Carolina. The facility has been permanently shut down by the SC Department of Public Health after multiple inspections found violations.

Between February 2024 and July 2025, Southwinds failed three separate inspections. A fourth inspection was the only inspection that the facility was able to pass.

According to the inspection records, on February 14, 2024, DPH investigators gave the facility a score of zero percent. This report revealed that Southwinds failed to document hospice care, did not keep resident care plans updated, improperly stored controlled substances, and left expired medication mixed with current ones. Inspectors also found that medications were stored in residents’ rooms without physician approval, and in some cases, medications were found next to toothbrushes or in shared bathrooms.

In May of 2024, a second inspection revealed similar violations. DPH reported that medications were missing, orders from physicians were not being followed, and medical notes were outdated.

The March 2025 inspection was the only one for which the facility scored a 100. This inspection focused solely on food and sanitation; however, it did not assess patient care, staffing, or medication management.

JoMonica Taylor, Director of the Residential Facility Services section at DPH, explained how the department became involved. She said, “We received a complaint… There were concerns that there would be no one there to care for the loved ones, so we did follow up.”

The most serious findings were from the July 2025 inspection, where investigators responded to another complaint. Investigators reported that doors were chained and locked from the inside, medication was left out in paper cups, and training records dated back over a decade. One resident who was in hospice care but needed nursing home support was never transferred.

“If we feel that there’s an immediate threat to the health and safety of the welfare of the residents, we can recommend an emergency suspension order,” Taylor said.

Following this visit, the DPH released an emergency order that revoked Southwinds Assisted Living’s license.

All residents from this facility were ordered to be safely relocated to new facilities or returned to family members.

The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office states that the DPH is leading this ongoing investigation, and there are no current plans to file criminal charges. The facility owners and administrators have not responded to multiple requests for comment.