BELLEVILLE — A mother is suing the East St. Louis Park District after her daughter was allegedly injured on a rusty slide at Jones Park.
Luquesha Sims and Luquesha Sims, as mother and next friend of D.M.N.H., her minor daughter, filed a complaint March 26 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against East St. Louis Park District, alleging negligence and premises liability.
Sims's daughter D.M.N.H., was at Jones Park on July 5, 2019, according to her complaint. She alleges that while her daughter was using the slide, she "clipped" a hole in the slide with her thigh and suffered a "severe" cut. The girl allegedly had to go to St. Louis Children's Hospital where she received 28 stitches. Sims alleges her daughter's leg became infected and required her to undergo additional medical treatment.
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Sims claims the slide was rusty and delapidated and posed an "unreasonable risk" to users at the playground. She also alleges the defendants failed to repair, remove or at least warn or barricade the slide to keep children from using the dangerous equipment.
The defendants, according to Sims' complaint, previously argued that Jones Park is not an entity of the City of East St. Louis but a "separate taxing body" and did not file a motion to dismiss until October of 2020, despite being notified of her claims in September of 2019.
Sims seeks monetary relief, 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 21-L-0293