The family of a 3-year-old girl killed when a man fleeing from police crashed into her mother鈥檚 vehicle has filed a lawsuit against two municipal police departments, the man police were pursuing and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in Prince George鈥檚 County Circuit Court on behalf of the estate of 3-year-old Zoey Harrison. It was served to both the Capitol Heights and District Heights police departments, as well as 40-year-old Larry Naylor, who is accused of fleeing from police after he was stopped for a missing license plate back in May.
Earlier this fall, Naylor was indicted by a Prince George鈥檚 County grand jury on several counts related to the incident. He鈥檚 due to go on trial on criminal charges next year.
鈥淭his lawsuit is about accountability and public safety,鈥� Terence Davis, of Morgan and Morgan, said.
Davis is representing Zoey Harrison鈥檚 family in this matter.
鈥淭he officers initiated a high-speed chase in pursuit over a missing tag 鈥� a low level traffic issue 鈥� through heavy traffic that chose to create a completely foreseeable danger to innocent drivers, and it cost a child her life,” Davis said. “We’re alleging negligence, failures in training and supervision, in violation of established pursuit safety standards.鈥�
Prince George鈥檚 County has been named in the lawsuit because Capitol Heights and District Heights are municipalities in the county, and because the county鈥檚 police academy helps train officers from those departments.
A spokesperson for Prince George鈥檚 County told 海角精品黑料 the county won鈥檛 comment on pending litigation.
海角精品黑料 also reached out to both departments for comment, but neither have responded. Likewise, the public defender listed for Naylor has not responded.
The chase led the county council to pass what鈥檚 known as Zoey鈥檚 Law last month. It aims to bring municipal departments in line with the county police department鈥檚 pursuit policies.
County leaders are also hoping state lawmakers will toughen penalties against someone who initiates a deadly crash by running from police.
鈥淶oey was a bright, joyful, 3-year-old girl who had her whole life in front of her,鈥� Davis said. “She was full of energy. Loved being with her mother, and she was one of the kind of children who lighted it up in every room that she walked in. Her life was taken far too soon and in a way that was completely preventable,” Davis said.
The lawsuit asks for damages exceeding $75,000, the highest number that can be listed in this type of lawsuit. Davis said the exact amount of money the family is seeking isn鈥檛 clear yet.
鈥淲e want to make sure that no other family has to go through this pain that Zoey’s family is going through right now,鈥� Davis said.
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