Hawaii Hotel Not Liable for Suicide Jumper

(CN) - A hotel in Honolulu is not liable for the injuries caused when a hotel client jumped 44 stories to his death and landed on a woman's car, the Hawaii Court of Appeals ruled.

Sogi Schwenke was hurt badly when Cameron Tuupoina jumped off the Ohana Maile Sky Court Hotel and landed on her car as she was sitting in traffic.

The circuit court dismissed Schwenke's negligence complaint, and the state appeals court affirmed.

"The defendant must have actual custody of the suicidal person in order to be charged with a duty of prevention," Judge Daniel Foley wrote.

"It would be unreasonable to require a party to be responsible for the suicide of another absent a custodial relationship."

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