The family of a boy scout from Weston, Florida, have filed suit against the national, regional and local Boy Scouts, according to a July 15, 2010 article published in the Miami-Herald. In addition to the organization, Judith Sclawy and her husband, Howard Adelman, are also suing two other Scout leaders who organized a May 2009 hike, during which their son, Michael Sclawy-Adelman, 17, suffered from heatstroke and subsequently died.
The suit names several parties, including the Boy Scouts of America and its regional component, the South Florida Council, Plantation United Methodist Church, and scout leaders Howard K. Crompton and Andrew L. Schmidt.
The day of the incident, the Boy Scouts were on a mission to earn their Eagle Scout badges, and a 20-mile hike in the Everglades was a part of the program. But, with temperatures in the 100-degree range, Michael began to stumble around mile 15. Witnesses stated that Crompton gave him some water and a damp towel. After a bit, Michael stopped sweating and began to snore, which is commonly associated with heatstroke. Soon after, he vomited and then stopped breathing altogether. By the time helped arrived late in the day, he was already dead.
The wrongful death lawsuit claims that Boy Scout leaders failed to call help for 90 minutes after Michael fell seriously ill during the hike. Further, the parents allege that leaders were negligent in allowing the scouts to hike in 100-degree temperatures, and also for ignoring Michael’s symptoms of heat exhaustion for too long.
If you’ve experienced a wrongful death in your family, contact an experienced Florida attorney to handle your case. An attorney knows how to structure even the most complicated wrongful death suit to fight for what you deserve.
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