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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 4 of 23)
rwa325 Jul 28th 2012 12:37PM
Another case of mercenary opportunism, plain and simple.
terria Jul 28th 2012 12:24PM
I don't think it's a political issue, but I know it's hard for some to resist labeling and blaming others for everything just because they have differing opinions.
Just Wondering Jul 28th 2012 12:56PM
The reporting seems biased. Since when do journalist refer to 23-year-olds as a girl or boy? It certainly is not AP -- Associated Press -- style.
Doug Jul 28th 2012 1:54PM
I'd like to sue liberals for trying to destroy the country I grew up in. Maybe if liberals were taxed in oblivion, then they'd go away. I mean, we can't just shoot 'em..can we?
Amanda Jul 28th 2012 1:11PM
Don't speak for all liberals.
howard Jul 28th 2012 1:22PM
UH! No one said she was a Liberal! Just that she fell and got killed!
Mic Schnitz Jul 28th 2012 1:56PM
Yes, it is very sad that the life of a beautiful young woman was cut short. 23 is old enough to know that alcohol can impair your judement and slding down a bannister, that has a 4 floor drop, is not an intelligent move; drunk or not. There are risks that we face on a daily basis I don't know why people create them more for themselves. The parents need to realize their daughter made the wrong choice that night.
j Jul 28th 2012 1:56PM
My Condolence To Her Family, I Personally Wouldnt Want To Be In That Situation ,Sometimes We Need Someone To Blame ,But As Adults We Have To Take Responsibility For Our Own Actions.
Woohoo! Jul 28th 2012 2:32PM
"Liberals think that"?
I'm a liberal and belive it's her fault
Some GOPs might think it's the hotel's fault. So where do you come up with this nonsense?
littlesparrow Jul 28th 2012 3:06PM
if you mean by "personal responsibility" that she is responsible for her actions than i agree... she was at a party... probably drinking (of age limit and a school teacher so i am assuming intellegent)... it is very sad that her life was cut short during a night of fun... but her adult actions were her own... who should get sued for this very sad event... her parents... could it be hereditary... she lost her balance... she made two bad decisions at a party (to drink and to slide down the banister)... suing will not bring her back... my sympathy to her parents, family and friends... but it ends there...
Steve Jul 28th 2012 2:34PM
Some people have to turn every/any incident into an opportunity to make a political statement. This lawsuit has NOTHING to do with right or left-leaning political beliefs and EVERYTHING to do with greed. The parents of this unfortunate young woman (and/or their attorney) have smelled a quick buck in the fact that most hotels, unwilling to face bad PR, will simply let their insurance company settle the suit for a fraction of what's being asked (extorted?).
Instead of demonizing liberals for everything except the drought in the midwest, you should be grateful for the fact that without liberals and the left, we'd be living in a police state with sheriff Joe Arpaio as our Attorney General!
Mu Jul 28th 2012 2:53PM
An educated woman, who made the decision to drink more than she could handle and with people she (obviously) could not trust, was shaping the lives of school children! While the incident is heartbreaking for her family, I hope they will re-visit what they could have done differently in teaching her about the problems associated with substance abuse. Maybe they shouldn't blame anyone but her...
Morgan Jul 28th 2012 3:05PM
Why the reference to liberals? Always disheartening knowing this term is used to justify one's belief system. There is no one term to label all individuals! People won't take your comment seriously unless you address your concern with some sense of intelligent analysis. There, I've said it.
M.D Jul 28th 2012 3:26PM
23 yr sliding down a banister,drinking without supervision. The time to be supervised was when she was a child, not as a grown woman. She was more than old enough to know the possible dangers in her actions. And surly old enough to know at some point when drinking you just have to quit. She caused her own death.
T.J. Hooper Jul 28th 2012 4:05PM
Paterick you nailed it... she made a stupid choice and she paid for it...are Hotels supposed to put up signs,Don't ride the bannisters,I don't think so...she was obvousily an educated adult...she was a teacher for Gods sake and I don't think anyone poured alcohol down her throat...as tradgic as it is the blame falls on her!!!
John Spahn Jul 28th 2012 3:31PM
Yes it really is a shame that these kinds of people are teaching children. Irresponsible, drunken teachers outside the classroom say a lot for the students to imitate...and they are in increasing numbers. A very poor example, parents and the teacher alike!
hjharl Jul 28th 2012 4:09PM
Oh gosh , now its the liberals fault, get a clue then get a life. The girl was drunk or stupid or both. Which means she was probably a Repuke. She did it to herself , sorry family no Romeny cash for you.
Stephanie Jul 28th 2012 7:49PM
How do you even KNOW if the family is liberal? And while I am ALL for personal responsibility because I think its her own fault that she was too drunk to ride a banister, she was obviously not of "sound mind" like a person that plans out jumping off of a bridge. See, this is the problem with how people like you word things. If you would leave "politics" out of your post and not make being "liberal" equal to having a mental disorder, then maybe others would see your point. But instead you invigorate people to disagree just because youre being insulting.
tina s. Jul 28th 2012 4:48PM
It has nothing to do with being a liberal or a conservative. It's a personality type. Some people are blamers. Plus, these people are grieving considerably, I'm sure.
They are grieving over their daughter's potential and the trauma of a life cut short. They may feel empowered by blaming someone else for their daughter's failure to protect herself. Know when to say when!
weaverjac Jul 28th 2012 5:13PM
Absolutely. A 23 year old school teacher goes to a party, gets drunk, attempts to slide down a banister four floors high, and ends up falling to her death. Is this a surprise? I feel very bad for her family and sad that this young woman lost her life, however, the fault lies with the young woman for getting drunk and attempting a foolish stunt. A fully grown, adult, school teacher no less, does not require a chaperone to monitor her alcohol consumption. Once we become fully grown adults, we, and only we, are responsible for our own actions and the consequences that follow. In the event the fully grown adult is mentally challanged, then they should not be consuming alcohol at all. If they are accompanied by a chaperone who assumes responsibility, then the chaperone would be at fault. Not the host, not the event, not the hotel, not anyone else. You might find fault with her friends who were most likely laughing at her and cheering her on, but really, the fault is hers alone.