Siblings claim in lawsuit that faulty construction, lack of smoke alarms caused brother’s death at Fayette care home

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The siblings of a man killed in a fire at a home for disabled people in Fayette have sued, claiming negligence by the company that operated the facility caused their brother's death.

Connie Mallick and Robert Bittle filed the lawsuit Tuesday against Linda Perkins Home, Inc., over the death of their brother, Donald Bittle. Bittle was one of two residents who died in the January 2026 fire; an employee also died.

Bittle was determined to be fully disabled in September 2023 and lived at the home, the suit states.

The group home did not have working smoke detectors on the top level, where Bittle's room was located. The lawsuit also claims that the home was not built with proper gypsum fire barriers between its foam insulation and interior walls, causing the fire to spread quickly.

Donald Bittle died of smoke inhalation.

The home was also lacking an interior stairway, "leaving upper-level residents with no interior path of egress to safety," the lawsuit states.

The siblings have requested a trial by jury.

The Department of Mental Health had certified the individualized supported living facility in 2024, according to an email from spokeswoman Debra Walker. ISLs are recertified every two years. Walker's email says in 2024, "there were no fire safety or environmental concerns."

A 2023 federal review of individualized supported living facilities in Missouri found some areas of oversight could be improved. The report said the state does not require providers to conduct periodic background checks on staff and found some facilities were missing documentation related to staff training and reviews.

A fire marshal's investigation stated the cause was undetermined.