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Hotel And Event Hosts Sued By Family Of Girl Killed Sliding Down A Banister
On October 30, 2010, 23-year-old Megan Duskey fell to her death at a Halloween-themed ball at the Palmer House Hilton. The young elementary school teacher at Orville T. Bright Elementary School was attempting to slide down a banister when she fell four floors. Now, Duskey's family is claiming the girl's death was the fault of the "Haunted Hotel Ball" hosts, and are suing for more than $500,000.According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the family believes the event hosts allowed ticket-holders to consume an exorbitant amount of alcohol without supervision or protection. The ten-count suit, which was filed Tuesday, is naming Hilton Worldwide, the Palmer House Hilton, Surreal Chicago and Adrenaline Y2K as the hosts of the party.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office stated that Duskey was dead at the scene, ruling the death an accident.
While efforts on Tuesday night to reach Hilton Worldwide and Adrenaline Y2K were unsuccessful, CEO of Surreal Chicago, Brian Pfeiffer, declined to comment based on the fact Duskey's death occurred in the lobby of the hotel, and not while she was at the party.
[Image via NBC Chicago]
Filed under: Festivals and Events, Stories, North America, United States, Hotels and Accommodations, News
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 23)
handsomish Jul 27th 2012 4:50PM
Zapdog, I know plenty of irresponsible "conservatives". This comment didn't need to be political. You have problem if that is how you choose to see the world. Thank the Affordable Care Act that you can now get the help you need. Take advantage of it.
celeste Jul 27th 2012 4:54PM
WOW! 23 years old, she needed to be supervised?
She was a school teacher?
kathl Jul 27th 2012 5:07PM
Conservatives do not believe in personal responsibility.
Chris Jul 27th 2012 5:08PM
Most people are asking: "What's personal responsibility?" Why have it when you can do stupid stuff and blame it on someone else because they didn't wrap you in a cocoon (flame retadant, of course)? Then, instead of the hotel spending a ton of money on defense, they'll buy off the bottom feeder for 50k, beacuse it's cheaper.
gloria Jul 27th 2012 5:38PM
What has this to do with liberals? I'm liberal and I think this suit is ridiculous.
She was a grown woman and should have been responsible for her own actions.
Joselito Abelardo Jul 27th 2012 11:15PM
Stupid parents who did not teach their children not to do stupid things and raised them stupid like them now is doing the stupid thing of making money out of their child's death after doing the stupid drinking and while doing the stupid childish sliding down the banister. How stupid can some people be !!! But don't be surprised to learn that there are stupid judges who will not dismiss the case and stupid juries who will award the stupid parents millions of dollars for filing the stupid case.
kip Jul 27th 2012 6:04PM
there is no such thing as personal responsability, thatv is why there are 2.2 million prisioners in our jails,no room at the nut house since we have none anymore. every nut is expected to freely roam untill they shoot up a packed moivie theater and go to jail for 100 years, surviving death warrent after death warrent slogging through a broken judicial system. when the chineese come and we have no rights and executions are on the spot, we get what we deserve.
JOSE-0311-USMC Jul 27th 2012 6:09PM
TOO YOUNG TO GO. SAD.
eugene stephens Jul 27th 2012 6:33PM
sad as it is when people get drunk they have very little common sense and they do stupid things I beleve ==the hotel most likely did not know she was drunk - or- did not have time to react == the people serving the drinks maybe 50% at fault ==but was she alone or with friends who let her or encouraged to get drunk for what ever reason = may GOD be with her family and friends-----
Hungarian Princess Jul 27th 2012 9:51PM
Or they can blame the tax payers whose taxes paid for the bridge. When will people take responsibility for their own actions?
famarcus Jul 27th 2012 6:44PM
why do some of you have to turn every damn topic into a political arena. are you being paid by one party or the other to stalk the message boards with your own special brand of stupidity? as a proud liberal i understand that there are too many frivolous lawsuits in this countries. i understand that too many people do not take responsibility for their own stupidity because they are too insecure to take the blame for flaws in their makeup. thats not a political thing. thats human nature and people from every group have this flaw. it's personal damage. it's bad upbringing. are you really telling us the only frivoulous lawsuits are from liberals. really? you actually believe that? this is about greed. do you know how easy it would be for me to go off on the right about greed? i won't. greed is everywhere nowadays. a family member dies because of her own incredible stupidity and these people see dollar signs. that you use a death of a son or daughter for money is just sad beyond belief.
D. Mark Jul 27th 2012 7:59PM
Her parents are liberals? I didn't gather that from the story. How long have you known them?
jlnmb Jul 27th 2012 7:51PM
I truly honestly wonder,if people like you,talk about politics during sex,being outdoors,or wherever.I would be willing to say yes you do.People like you gotta be boring.A girl slides down a bannister, and you talking about liberals.Seriouly? Yall need to get a life,a real one.ugh
Thom Jul 27th 2012 8:55PM
In America, money nearly always ends the grief and sadness. Sadly, just the way it is.
Paul Jul 28th 2012 12:44AM
The liberal comment is stupid. The woman made a choice to go to the hotel for the party. At the same time the Hotel expected to profit from this party and thus accepted responsibility for the safety of the guests.
There should be a payout of the hotel due to this responsibility and lack of appropriate follow through. However, the payment should go to a charity and not to the family.
Businesses need to take responsibility for their own actions of supporting a party that allowed people to indulge and consume extreme amounts of alcohol. Typical Right Wing response "its not our fault, we just supplied the tickets and alcohol. We only did it for money after all.
I bet Zapdog4 will be pleading not guilty at his DUI trial and probably bitches when caught speeding rather than just saying "yes I did that, please let me accept responsibility for my actions."
potterfan Jul 27th 2012 9:42PM
WTF does this have to do with any political bullshit, why throw that into the mix.
The girl was an ADULT, no longer under the parents thumb..plus she made the decision to drink/try to slide down a banister....oh well
myrna Jul 27th 2012 9:56PM
I personally have stayed at the Palmer House in Chicago numerous times. It is a classy landmark hotel. Why would someone slide down a banister in such a place let alone from such a height unless of course they were inebriated. She was an adult and responsible for her actions. If she had been driving and gotten into an accident the ticket and fault would have been hers not the road or town she was driving in. I am sorry this young adult is dead because of her own decisions but the hotel should not be responsible for "babysitting" adults and their poor decisions.
Kim Suvia Jul 27th 2012 10:07PM
I don't know if a lack of personal responsibility, which irks me, too, has anything to do with being a liberal.
h2oly Jul 27th 2012 10:08PM
how is this a liberal conservative issue? And sorry republicans don't take responsibility either! both sides suck!
T Jul 27th 2012 10:49PM
This is not a liberal /conservative issue. This is an American issue. I have been all over the world and I have never seen a country like ours that does not raise it's children to accept personal responsibility. The parents don't let the kids fail at anything when they are growing up, they don't want them to cry, or get in a fight, or not get picked to play in sports, or lose a science fair, or get critisized by a neighbor, or spanked or punished. You raise these kids and spoil them into believing they can do anything and you end up with no responsibility.
The girl had an accident. She was having fun and she fell. This was her fault 90% and perhaps 10% her friends fault. But the hotel? Come on, that is pathetic. Why don't the parents look inward and stop trying to get revenge. If they are Christians then they should forgive their daughter for making a stupid decision, get some closure and move on.
Suing the hotel will not bring their daughter back and only shows how shallow they are