The city of Camden, N.J., has agreed to pay $2.25 million to the families of four children who died of suffocation after accidentally locking themselves in the trunk of a vehicle. The families claim the police were liable because they didn’t find the children in time, according to ABC News.
Lawyers for the families say the police who conducted the search were disorganized and didn’t follow protocols because they weren’t trained properly.
Specifically, one of the officers who conducted the search checked the car, but not the trunk because she was pulled away from the search and did not return to complete the inspection. The children were found three days later by a relative.
It should be noted that although the case has been settled, Camden Police admitted no wrongdoing. Still, the case highlights how the public’s perception of a search and investigation can expose a law enforcement agency to damaging lawsuits.
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