The family of a teenager who died after he was pulled from a public swimming pool reached a tentative $3 million settlement with Los Angeles County and four county lifeguards whom the family claimed were negligent in trying to save their son, according to a report.
Anondre Thomas, 17, was pulled from the pool at Jesse Owens Park in Los Angeles on June 9, 2013, after he was under water for more than five minutes. Thomas’s parents claimed in a 2014 lawsuit that the four lifeguards on duty were negligent in giving Thomas life-saving care, City News Service reported. Thomas later died of his injuries, including catastrophic brain damage, according to the report. The county and the four lifeguards were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Attorney Kevin Boyle, who represents Thomas’s parents, said the settlement is subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors.
“This was a long, emotional battle for Anondre’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.”
Thomas and his family had frequented the pool for years, according to the report. He was entering his freshman year at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
