Malik
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Family gets $90 million compensation from Prince George
The family of a Maryland teen killed by a car as she crossed the road to catch her school bus has won $90 million in compensation.
Ashley Davis was just 13 when in front of horrified classmates a Lincoln Continental knocked her down in Temple Hills, Prince George's County, on Sept. 1, 2009.
She died from her horrific injuries in hospital two weeks later.
Her parents said Crossland High School failed in its promise "to provide her with safe transportation" because it hadn't installed a bus stop on her side of the road.
And so they launched legal action against Prince George's County Board of Education as part of a wrongful death suit.
Family attorney John Costello told NBC Washington that the board was "negligent" towards the student.
He claimed they had promised to pick her up on her own side of the street "but never did." This, he said, forced her to cross and was how she got killed.
The Washington Post reports that the jury awarded the family the mega-cash settlement, plus medical expenses and funeral costs, at the end of a lengthy civil trial.
"The jury was upset the [school board's] policy was not followed for a full week and a little girl in her first year of high school ended up suffering the consequences," Costello added.
NBC reports that the school is planning to appeal the verdict. But, despite the prospect of a huge payout, Ashley's mother Nycole Davis said she "didn't care for the money."
"I didn't ask anyone to give me any money or anything like that," she said. "I just want someone held responsible for what happened to my daughter.
Ashley Davis was just 13 when in front of horrified classmates a Lincoln Continental knocked her down in Temple Hills, Prince George's County, on Sept. 1, 2009.
She died from her horrific injuries in hospital two weeks later.
Her parents said Crossland High School failed in its promise "to provide her with safe transportation" because it hadn't installed a bus stop on her side of the road.
And so they launched legal action against Prince George's County Board of Education as part of a wrongful death suit.
Family attorney John Costello told NBC Washington that the board was "negligent" towards the student.
He claimed they had promised to pick her up on her own side of the street "but never did." This, he said, forced her to cross and was how she got killed.
The Washington Post reports that the jury awarded the family the mega-cash settlement, plus medical expenses and funeral costs, at the end of a lengthy civil trial.
"The jury was upset the [school board's] policy was not followed for a full week and a little girl in her first year of high school ended up suffering the consequences," Costello added.
NBC reports that the school is planning to appeal the verdict. But, despite the prospect of a huge payout, Ashley's mother Nycole Davis said she "didn't care for the money."
"I didn't ask anyone to give me any money or anything like that," she said. "I just want someone held responsible for what happened to my daughter.
