Elderly man dies after being forced to clean store bathroom

A 69-year-old widow has sued a Walgreens store in Orlando, accusing them of forcing her husband to clean and mop the store’s bathroom which ultimately resulted in his death.

Maria Elizarraras claims that her husband experienced severe public humiliation from the incident that it caused such strong emotional distress that it killed her husband, Fernando Elizarraras.

According to court documents the lawsuit was moved to federal court Monday after originally being filed in state court.

According to the suit, Fernando Elizarraras went to the Walgreens on Landstar Boulevard, where he had been a long-term customer, on Oct. 15, 2012.

The lawsuit alleges that after Fernando used the store's bathroom, employees stopped Fernando as he tried to leave and physically escorted him back to the bathroom.

“You left a mess, (expletive) all over the bathroom,” the employee said, according to the lawsuit.

According to court documents, the suit claims Fernando was threatened for 20 minutes and eventually forced to clean and mop the bathroom before he was allowed to leave the store.

Walgreens had not responded to the lawsuit. The suit is for an undetermined amount, but the standing offer to settle sits at $500,000.