BELLEVILLE — A mother claims her daughter required stitches and suffered an infection from a dilapidated, rusty slide at a park in East St. Louis.
Luquesha Sims, as mother and next of friend of D.M.N.H., her minor daughter, filed a complaint Oct. 20 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against East St. Louis Park District Foundation, president William Dancy, vice president James Montgomery and commissioners Michelle Patterson, James Ross and Damon Smith, alleging negligence and premises liability.
According to the complaint, Sims alleges that on July 5, 2019, her daughter was at Jones Park in East St. Louis. She claims that while going down a slide at the park, she "clipped" a hole in the rusty slide and suffered injuries. The child had to be taken to St. Louis Children's Hospital, where she received 28 stitches in her right thigh.
Sims claims her daughter suffered bleeding and pain, disfigurement and permanent disability in her right thigh and leg.
She also claims her daughter's wound became infected which required additional medical treatment at Memorial Hospital in Belleville.
Sims also states in her complaint that the City of East St. Louis failed to respond to her complaint during status conferences held on July 31 and Sept. 28. According to Sims' complaint, the city then filed a motion to dismiss on Oct. 9, claiming Jones Park "is not an entity of the City of East St. Louis."
Sims seeks a judgment in her favor, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by David Duree of David M. Duree & Associates PC in O'Fallon.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 20-L-0815