Chavez v. City of Santa Fe Springs
A teenager on a city-sponsored camping trip died from head injuries suffered after he slipped in a mountain stream and went over a waterfall. His mother sued the city and one of its employees for wrongful death, alleging that the defendants' negligence led to the tragedy. The trial court found the negligence claims were barred by the terms of a release signed by the mother and son, and granted the defendants' summary judgment motion. On appeal, the mother contends the trial court erred in granting summary judgment because material questions of fact remain as to whether the City is entitled to enforce the release against Chavez, and as to whether (if it can) the defendants' conduct constituted gross negligence barring application of the release for that reason. We agree with the mother, and therefore reverse.
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