A $3 million tentative settlement was reached in a lawsuit that alleged four county lifeguards were negligent for failing to pull a teenager from a public pool at Jesse Owens Park in Athens in time to prevent him from suffering fatal brain damage, the family’s attorney said Tuesday.
The settlement is subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors, according to lawyer Kevin Boyle, who represents the father and mother of Enodre Thomas.
“This was a long, emotional battle for Enondre’s parents, and they are happy that the county has finally stepped up and done the right thing,” Boyle said. “They look forward to continue their efforts to heal without the distraction of this case.”
The complaint, filed in June 2014 on behalf of Los Angeles residents Tremell Thomas and Enger Dodson, alleged lifeguards Bianca Sabrina Garcia, Otto Miguel Gonzalez, Werner Cordova and Sabrina Deyanira Ochoa were not properly trained for their jobs.
The four were named as defendants, along with Los Angeles County.
Enodre Thomas was pulled from the pool on June 9, 2013, by the lifeguards, who negligently failed to provide the 17-year-old with immediate life-saving care, causing him further medical problems, his parents alleged.
Thomas died later of his injuries, including catastrophic brain damage, according to their lawsuit.
Thomas’ family alleged the teen was under water for more than five minutes before lifeguards came to his rescue. Thomas’ sister said she watched her brother jump into the water, then spotted him at the bottom of the pool several minutes later and alerted lifeguards, according to media reports at the time.
The teen and his family had frequented the pool for years. He had just graduated from high school and planned to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in the fall of 2013.
—City News Service