Couple seeks $150M from mobile home park over their son’s death
By Jim Keithley
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GORHAM, Maine (WMTW) — A Maine couple has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the owners of a Gorham mobile home park after their 2-year-old son drowned in the community swimming pool.
On May 22, 2024, Oakley Schmidt slipped away from his parents and got through a fence surrounding the pool at Friendly Village. The boy was found floating facedown in the pool, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Jake and Natasha Schmidt claim Friendly Village’s owners put profits over people and ignored safety issues involving the pool fence.
Legal-Ease attorney Jeffrey Bennett, who is representing the couple, said video captured by mounted surveillance cameras shows Oakley outside the gate and then inside the pool area.
“Holes have been punched through the fence and the location of the gate, which act as a makeshift ladder that allows children to climb up and over the gate,” Bennett said.
Oakley’s parents attended a press briefing about the lawsuit on Tuesday at the Legal-Ease offices, but did not speak.
“Jake and Natasha do not deflect their responsibility whatsoever,” Bennett said. “But as anyone with children knows, no matter how careful you are, no matter how attentive you are, there comes a time when a child darts off.”
Bennett said the Schmidts have suffered mental anguish and emotional distress. He added a hefty $150 million award from a jury would send a message to other corporations.
“The mobile home park was aware of the danger, knew of it and intentionally ignored it,” Bennett said. “A few hundred dollars toward the replacement of that gate would have prevented this tragedy.”
Legal-Ease has requested a jury trial, which would not happen for at least a year.
Maine’s Total Coverage has attempted to contact the owners of Friendly Village for comment on the lawsuit multiple times, but no one has returned calls or emails.
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