Court Allows Wrongful Death Lawsuit In Tragic Death Of 5-year-old 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 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 the child's death.
On November 20, 2023, the 5-year-old was walking to Riverdale Elementary School with his father and two other children. As they crossed Riverdale Road in a marked crosswalk, a van made a left turn and struck them. The child 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 Flannery & LaDuca, LLP, attorneys for the child's family. “This wasn’t just an accident — it was the result of failures by people and institutions that should have protected [the child].”
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 the child'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 the child's life.
“Every morning, [he] would give us a hug—now our mornings are quiet,” said the 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 [him], but to make sure other children get to school safely.