Court Allows Wrongful Death Lawsuit In Tragic Death Of 5-year-old Sky Sosa To Proceed
Case Against Prince George’s County and Board of Education Moves Forward
RIVERDALE, MARYLAND – A Maryland judge has ruled that the family of Sky Sosa, a 5-year-old struck and killed in a school crosswalk, may move forward with their wrongful death lawsuit against Prince George’s County and the Prince George’s County Board of Education. The court’s decision allows the family to pursue claims that government negligence in school zone safety and emergency response contributed to Sky’s death.
On November 20, 2023, Sky was walking to Riverdale Elementary School with his father and two other children. As they crossed Riverdale Road in a marked crosswalk, a van driven by Lugo Jimenez made a left turn and struck them. Sky was critically injured and died an hour later at Children’s National Medical Center.
“This ruling brings us one step closer to accountability,” said Daniel Cohen and Christian Hudson of Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, attorneys for the Sosa family. “This wasn’t just an accident — it was the result of failures by people and institutions that should have protected Sky.”
The complaint alleges that the Board of Education failed to assign a crossing guard to the intersection, despite knowing the area posed risks to students. The position had been vacant for months, with over 80 other crossing guard roles unfilled across the county and interviews delayed until after Sky’s death.
The lawsuit also points to broader systemic failures by Prince George’s County, including unsafe traffic conditions and delays in emergency response that may have further endangered Sky’s life.
“Every morning, Sky would give us a hug—now our mornings are quiet,” said Laura Sosa, Sky’s mother. “He loved building Lego sets, running around with his siblings, and making us laugh. He had this light about him that made everything brighter. We want accountability—not just for Sky, but to make sure other children get to school safely.