Politics & Government
Child With Down Syndrome Left on Trip, Trumbull Mom Seeks $1 Million: Lawsuit
The family has sued the town and Board of Education after the student was found hours later wandering alone on Reservoir Avenue.
TRUMBULL, CT — A Trumbull mother has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Trumbull and Board of Education after her intellectually disabled 20-year-old daughter was left alone for hours during a school field trip, according to a lawsuit.
Linda Gereda is seeking damages up to $1 million, but not less than $20,000 on behalf of her daughter. Gereda is represented by Ganim, Ganim and Ganim PC and the lawsuit was filed in state Superior Court.
Megan Gereda and other members of the ELITE (Educating Learners in Transitional Environments) program went on a trip May 26 that was supposed to be at the YMCA in Monroe, but was changed to a Trumbull park instead, according to the lawsuit. The change was unauthorized.
The 12 students were assembled at the Helen Plumb building at 571 Church Hill Road and were supposed to depart in two separate vans, but Gereda was left alone and unsupervised in the bathroom facilities.
School staff didn’t realize Gereda was missing until they arrived at their destination, according to the lawsuit. They drove back to the Helen Plumb building in search of her.
Gereda had wandered about 1.5 miles away from the building and was located by police hours later on Reservoir Avenue.
In addition to Down Syndrome, Gereda also has a heart condition, according to the lawsuit.
Megan Gereda told her mother and therapist that she was lured into a red vehicle by a man during the incident. The accounts of the incident continue to be investigated, according to the lawsuit.
The suit also claims, “In an attempt to conceal their gross negligence, the information the Defendants provided to the police resulted in the Plaintiff’s guardian, Linda Gereda, not immediately seeking medical attention or realizing the severity of the effects of the incident on Megan Gereda.”
Since the incident, Megan Gereda has suffered from emotional trauma, separation anxiety and lack of sleep.
A Trumbull town attorney couldn't immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
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