Post by LadyBlue on Jun 27, 2013 10:54:50 GMT -5
INDIANAPOLIS -- The parents of a missing Indiana University student have filed a civil negligence suit against three of their daughter's fellow students who were with her the night she vanished from the Bloomington campus two years ago.
Lauren Spierer's disappearance in June 2011 made national news. Since then, her parents, of Greenburgh, N.Y., have repeatedly said that the people who were with the fashion merchandise major that night have not been forthcoming about what they know.
The suit charges Corey Rossman, Jason Rosenbaum and Michael Beth with "negligence resulting in the disappearance, death or injury of an adult child." Rossman and Rosenbaum also are charged with "negligence per se" and "dram shop," a legal term used when damages are sought for providing alcohol to someone who is clearly intoxicated.
The lawsuit was filed "with great reluctance," according to a statement from Jason Barclay, the lawyer representing Rob and Charlene Spierer. They filed it only after Barclay and his legal team advised them they "would lose certain legal rights" if they didn't file anything within two years of Spierer's disappearance.
"We hope no one will misinterpret this action," Barclay said. "Any parent in search of information about a missing child would use every resource available to them."
The lawsuit alleges that Rossman, Rosenbaum and Beth — who were with Spierer at various times that night — owed her "a duty of care." They were aware that she was "extremely intoxicated to the point of incapacitation," the suit says, and didn't do enough to make sure she made it home safely.
The suit says that Beth had noticed Spierer was intoxicated and tried to persuade her to sleep on his couch. And Rosenbaum, "expressing concern about Spierer's well-being and safety," tried to get some mutual friends to pick her up and take her home.
But when that didn't happen, the suit alleges, Rosenbaum acknowledged that he let her leave and saw her walk away. He was the last known person to see her alive.
Spierer's parents have made several public statements with strong words for Rossman, Beth and Rosenbaum. "We still believe that she may not have left Corey and Mike's or Jay's apartment," Rob Spierer recently told The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal-News.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/26/missing-students-parents-file-civil-negligence-suit/2462447/
Lauren Spierer's disappearance in June 2011 made national news. Since then, her parents, of Greenburgh, N.Y., have repeatedly said that the people who were with the fashion merchandise major that night have not been forthcoming about what they know.
The suit charges Corey Rossman, Jason Rosenbaum and Michael Beth with "negligence resulting in the disappearance, death or injury of an adult child." Rossman and Rosenbaum also are charged with "negligence per se" and "dram shop," a legal term used when damages are sought for providing alcohol to someone who is clearly intoxicated.
The lawsuit was filed "with great reluctance," according to a statement from Jason Barclay, the lawyer representing Rob and Charlene Spierer. They filed it only after Barclay and his legal team advised them they "would lose certain legal rights" if they didn't file anything within two years of Spierer's disappearance.
"We hope no one will misinterpret this action," Barclay said. "Any parent in search of information about a missing child would use every resource available to them."
The lawsuit alleges that Rossman, Rosenbaum and Beth — who were with Spierer at various times that night — owed her "a duty of care." They were aware that she was "extremely intoxicated to the point of incapacitation," the suit says, and didn't do enough to make sure she made it home safely.
The suit says that Beth had noticed Spierer was intoxicated and tried to persuade her to sleep on his couch. And Rosenbaum, "expressing concern about Spierer's well-being and safety," tried to get some mutual friends to pick her up and take her home.
But when that didn't happen, the suit alleges, Rosenbaum acknowledged that he let her leave and saw her walk away. He was the last known person to see her alive.
Spierer's parents have made several public statements with strong words for Rossman, Beth and Rosenbaum. "We still believe that she may not have left Corey and Mike's or Jay's apartment," Rob Spierer recently told The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal-News.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/26/missing-students-parents-file-civil-negligence-suit/2462447/