ST. LOUIS – A Tennessee mother has filed a suit against the city of St. Louis and others after her toddler daughter's feet were burned while walking across at manhole cover at the Kiener Plaza splash pad.
Lila Stephens, a minor, by and through her next friend and natural mother, Samantha Stephens, filed a complaint on Aug. 28 in the St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court against Trigen-St. Louis Energy Corp., city of St. Louis, et al. alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on June 25, 2017, then-18-month-old Lila Stephens was playing in the interactive splash pad at the newly-renovated Kiener Plaza barefoot. The suit states Lila Stephens ran across a cast-iron manhole cover over the steam lines and its temperature was more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The suit states she suffered permanent burns to her feet, requiring extensive medical care and treatment.
The plaintiffs holds Trigen-St. Louis Energy Corp., the city of St. Louis, et al. responsible because the defendants allegedly carelessly located a splash pad near steam lines and failed to timely repair or service the steam lines when they should have known it presented an unreasonable risk of danger to the public.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek judgment against the defendants in an amount of more than $25,000, plus interest, costs and all other relief that are just and proper. They are represented by John G. Simon and John M. Simon of The Simon Law Firm PC in St. Louis.
St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court case number 1822-CC11096