The parents of a former Cornell sophomore are now blaming the University for their son’s tragic death after he fell 200 feet into an Ithaca gorge in 2010.
The claim is that Cornell was negligent in their efforts to provide adequate lighting, warning signs, or barriers around the gorges, according to the Ithaca Journal report published yesterday evening.
Khalil King was 19-years old when he fell to his death in the early morning of Saturday, August 28, 2010. The death was ruled “accidental,” with the official documents released to the Sun under the Freedom of Information Law reporting that the incident had occurred after a long night of partying.
The documents refused to offer any conclusive answers to the exact events that led up to the accident.
Of course, this is not the first time that parents have brought a lawsuit against Cornell regarding the school’s handling of the natural beauties upon which it was built.
Back in 1978, a judge ruled that Cornell did not have to install barriers around the gorges, according to a Sun article. A lawsuit was brought against Cornell in 1981 claiming that similar precautions should be made after the death of a Cornell student because of a lack of suicide barriers on bridges. The jury in that case decided in Cornell’s favor.
The current administration has taken a different approach, however, as suicide prevention has become a focal issue. Seven nets were installed this summer under Cornell’s bridges.
Surely you mean the “Freedom of Information Act” (FOIA)?