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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Parents Blame Boy Scouts for Son’s Death

MIAMI (CN) - Parents say their son died of heat stroke during a 20-mile Boy Scout hike through the Everglades in 100-degree heat. The parents say Boy Scout leaders paused for more than 90 minutes at mile 15, with their son "dizzy, disoriented, and delirious," before calling 911.

Michael Sclawy-Adelman, a minor, died on the May 9, 2009 hike due to the negligence of the Boy Scouts, his parents claim in Miami-Dade County Court.

The parents, Howard Adelman and Judith Sclawy-Adelman, say their son "began exhibiting signs of heat exhaustion" at mile 10. "Nevertheless, the hike was continued."

They say their son "became dizzy, disoriented, and delirious" during the 15th mile, and that GPS data and investigative reports indicate "that the group was stopped at mile 15 of the hike for more than 1½ hours before an emergency call was placed to 911."

"First responders indicated that the surviving minor boy scouts showed signs of dehydration," according to the complaint.

Defendant scoutmasters Howard K. Crompton and Andrew L. Schmidt "organized, planned and led" the three boys on the hike through The Florida Trail in Big Cypress National Park in the Everglades, the parents say.

They sued the scoutmasters as individuals, and also sued the Boy Scouts of America, the BSA's South Florida Council, and Plantation United Methodist Church, alleging multiple counts of negligence, wrongful death and loss of consortium.

They are represented by Mark Sylvester with Leesfield & Partners.

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