Mother sues Belleville after daughter falls off bike on sidewalk

The mother of a minor has filed suit against the city of Belleville, alleging a cracked sidewalk caused her daughter to fall while riding her bike.

Daysia Vaughn claims her daughter, eight-year-old Laura Prosise, was riding her two-wheeled bike west on a sidewalk on Garfield Street near its intersection with Church Street in Belleville on March 18 when an uneven sidewalk caused her to become dislodged and to fall from her bike.

Because of her fall, Prosise sustained injuries to her arm, neck, back and internal and external organs; incurred medical costs; and suffered great pain and mental anguish, according to the complaint filed May 10 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Belleville negligently cut and fell a large tree before Prosise's fall, causing the brick sidewalk to be disrupted, uneven and broken, the suit states. In addition the city negligently failed to remove the stump and its adjacent roots, failed to repair the uneven bricks near the stump, failed to pour cement or to make the sidewalk smooth and failed to barricade the sidewalk, the complaint says.

In her complaint, Vaughn seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

She will be represented by Paul M. Storment Jr. of Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-234.