Wednesday 4 May 2011

Family of bear death boy win payout

Family of bear death boy win payout
The family of a boy killed by a bear at a campsite in 2007 have been awarded nearly two million dollars (AP)

Published: 11:39am, 4th May 2011
Updated: 7:39pm, 4th May 2011
A judge in the US has awarded nearly two million dollars (£1.2 million) to the family of an 11-year-old boy killed by a bear at a campsite in 2007.
The family of Samuel Ives sued the US Forest Service for failing to close the American Fork Canyon campsite in the mountains about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, after the bear attacked another camper.
In his ruling, US District Judge Dale Kimball said the forest service had a "duty" to warn the Ives family of the earlier attack either verbally, by posting signs on a gate leading in the area or by roping off the specific campsite.
The boy died on June 17, 2007 after a bear ripped through his tent and dragged him away. His mauled body was found about 400 yards from the campsite.
The bear had caused problems in the same area 12 hours earlier, ripping through another tent and rummaging through coolers.
Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources had dubbed it a "level 3" nuisance bear - considered the most dangerous - and set out to find and kill it, but it was only successfully trapped and killed after Samuel's death.
Mr Kimball said it was "foreseeable" that the bear would return to a campsite where it had earlier attacked campers and found food.
In a trial in February, lawyers for the government argued that no warnings were necessary because Utah had not previously seen a fatal attack by a black bear.
Sharon Ives, the boy's grandmother, said the family is pleased with the judge's ruling but said their main purpose in bringing the lawsuit was to force state and federal agencies to change their policies related to bear attacks and sightings.
Samuel's family has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Division of Wildlife Resources.

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