Family Sues Boy Scouts Over Son's Hiking Death

Parents say negligence to blame for teen's death
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 19, 2011 8:15 AM CST
Family Sues Boy Scouts Over Son's Hiking Death
"It just boiled down to us trusting in the Boy Scouts," the boy's father says.   (Shutter Stock)

A Florida couple whose 17-year-old son collapsed and died on a 20-mile hike in extreme heat are suing the Boy Scouts, and there's more than just money on the line. The lawsuit charges that the organization failed to live up to its own "Be Prepared" motto and that this isn't the first time alleged Boy Scout negligence has caused death. The Boy Scouts, however, say outdoor activities are risky by nature and the organization does all it can to keep things as safe as possible.

"I can't imagine what it must be like for parents to lose their son," an assistant scout master tells ABC. "But what I can tell you is that the Boy Scouts is so proactive in everything they do in regards to safety. Everything we do is looking at what could happen, what are the risks involved, how do we prepare? There are circumstances that are beyond our control. But that's where our training kicks in. And that's where we use those skills we learned." (More Boy Scouts of America stories.)

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