Strand v. United States

233 F. Supp. 3d 446, 2017 WL 511904, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17553
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedFebruary 8, 2017
DocketCivil No. PJM 14-3521
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 233 F. Supp. 3d 446 (Strand v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Strand v. United States, 233 F. Supp. 3d 446, 2017 WL 511904, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17553 (D. Md. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

PETER J. MESSITTE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Toya Strand, individually and on behalf of her son JT (a minor), has sued the United States (the Government) under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), 28 U.S.C. § 2671 et. seq., in connection with injuries her son sustained while attending a summer camp run by the United States Army at Fort Meade, Maryland. In her Complaint, Strand alleges that the Government, its camp counselors, and camp directors owed duties to her and JT, which they breached due to negligence. She also asserts an agency/vicarious liability claim [450]*450against the Government as the employer of the counselors, camp directors, and other individuals who purportedly breached those duties. She seeks judgment against the Government in the amount of $750,000.

The Government argues that the Court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute because the discretionary function exception to the FTCA applies.1

This is not the first time in this case that the Government has raised the discretionary function exception. The Court previously denied without prejudice the Government’s Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction (ECF No. 14), which asserted that the discretionary function exception barred the suit. The Court then allowed discovery to go forward, following which, the Government has again asked for dismissal of the suit based on the discretionary function exception, this time in the form of a Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction or, Alternatively, for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 46).

On November 15, 2016, the Court held a motions hearing on the Government’s Motion, At the hearing, the Court, sua sponte, inquired as to the potential application of the voluntary undertaking theory of liability to the case.2 Because the parties had not briefed this issue, the Court granted the Government leave to submit supplemental briefing and Strand an opportunity to respond. The parties did so, and the Court has now reviewed those filings. For the following reasons, the Court will GRANT the Government’s Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 46) and therefore, need not address its alternative Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 46). Consistent with this, Strand’s Complaint (ECF No. 1) will be DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

A. The Camp

During the summer of 2011, Strand’s minor son, JT, who was then 12-years-old, attended a summer camp program (the Camp) run by the U.S. Army Child, Youth and School Services at Fort George G. Meade (Fort Meade) at Fort Meade, Maryland. Compl. ¶ 5, ECF No. 1. The Camp was operated by the Army’s Youth Program during the summer months to care for children of military and Department of Defense personnel. See Def s. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit A, ECF No. 46-3 (Youth Program Handbook), 3. The campers rotated through various activities at different facilities at the Youth Center, including a computer lab, dance studio, and music room. See- Defs. Mot. to Dismiss, Exhibit B, ECF No. 14-4 (Decl. of F. Jamison), ¶ 11. The campers also took on-post field trips to the Camp’s swimming pool and bowling alley as well as off-post field trips to the zoo and a movie theater. Id. ¶ 12. When taking a field trip to the on-post pool, campers, accompanied by counselors, were transported on a school bus. Id. ¶ 13.

B. The Incident

The incident at issue occurred during one of these on-post field trips to the pool. [451]*451On August 9, 2011, JT and between 19 and 84 other campers were transported from the Youth Center to the Camp’s pool. See Defs. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit H, ECF. No. 46-10 (Attendance Form); Defs. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit F, ECF No. 46-8 (Dep. of JT), 10; Defs. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit G, ECF No. 46-8 (Dep. of K. Wade), 30-31. They were accompanied by three counselors—Kimberly Wade, Mike King, and Terrance Trotman—as well as two to four lifeguards. See Dep. of K. Wade, 31-33; Defs. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit O, ECF No. 46-17 (Dep. of M. Wise), 15-16; Defs. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit B, ECF No. 46-4 (Dep. of F. Jamison), 11,

After swimming, JT went into the locker room to change clothes. See Defs. Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit E, ECF No. 46-7 (Dep. of JB), 11. There were approximately eight or nine children in the boys’ locker room, including JB who, at the time, was 14 years old. See id. at 11, 20-21; Plf s. Resp, Exhibit I, ECF No. 52-8 (Dep. of J. Beasley), 6. While in the locker room, JB and JT exchanged words, seemingly disagreeing about whether JT had insulted JB’s mother. Dep. of JT, 12-14. After exchanging words, JB struck JT one time in the face. Id. at 16-17.

There were no counselors inside the locker room when the incident occurred. See Plfs. Resp., Exhibit M, ECF No. 52-11, (Dep. of K. Wade (2)), 48-49. Kimberly Wade, the counselor closest to the locker room at the time, was standing outside the boys’ locker room in order to simultaneously monitor both the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms. Id. See also Mot. to Dismiss or Summary Judgment, Exhibit K, ECF No. 52-10 (K. Wade Incident Report). In the minutes preceding'the incident, Wade entered the girls’ locker room in an attempt to get the girls to finish changing more quickly. Id. After leaving the girls’ locker room, Wade heard the sound of “body movements” coming from the boys’ locker room. Id. at 51. . She yelled into the boys’ locker room in an attempt to- get the boys to hurry up. Id.' at 52. .While -she could tell that there was an. argument in progress, she could not hear what words were being said. Id. at. 52-53. ■ She then walked to the doorway of-the boys’ locker room, intending to go inside in order to see what was going on and stop whatever conflict was taking place. Id. at 53-54; K. Wade Incident Report. However,. upon hearing a shower running, Wade decided that she should not enter the boys’, locker room out of fear that a boy.might be indecent. Dep. of K. Wade, 54; K, Wade Incident Report, At that point, Wade began to walk to the entrance of the pool, to ask a male counselor to enter the boys’ locker room and check on things; . Dep., of K. Wade, 55; K. Wade Incident Report. However, before Wade could reach a male counselor, she heard several high pitched voices as well as the sound of crying. Dep. of K. Wade, 57; K. Wade Incident Report. A number of boys then ran out of , the locker room saying that there was a fight. Dep. of K. Wade, 57-58; K. Wade Incident Report. Shortly after; JT emerged from the locker room crying with blood dripping from his mouth. Dep. of K. Wade, 58; K. Wade Incident Report. J.B., as indicated, had allegedly struck him. Id.

C. Camp Governance

The Camp’s operations .were governed by Army Regulation 608-10 and Department of Defense Instructions 6060.2 and 6060.4 as well as a series of handbooks, guides, and standard operating procedures. Dep. of F. Jamison, 17.3 The Youth [452]

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Bluebook (online)
233 F. Supp. 3d 446, 2017 WL 511904, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17553, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/strand-v-united-states-mdd-2017.