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#Post#: 16277--------------------------------------------------
Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: MyLady Date: June 16, 2018, 2:02 pm
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Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
Parents of a 5-year-old Kansas boy were hit with a $132,000 bill
after their son knocked over an art sculpture on display at a
local community center.
Surveillance video captured the little boy reaching for the
sculpture, called “Aphrodite di Kansas City” on display in the
lobby of the Tomahawk Ridge Community Center in Overland Park,
Kansas, when it toppled over.
Then a few days later, the family received a $132,000 claim from
the city of Overland Park’s insurance company, saying that the
piece had been damaged beyond repair.
“You’re responsible for the supervision of a minor child… your
failure to monitor could be considered negligent,” the insurance
letter read in part.
“I was surprised, absolutely, more so offended to be called
negligent,” said the boy’s mother Sarah Goodman. “They were
treating this like a crime scene.”
The sculpture’s artist, Bill Lyons, told ABC News it took him
about two years to create the piece and it was listed for sale
at $132,000. He examined the piece himself, he said, and
concluded it could not be repaired.
“It’s beyond my capabilities and desires to rebuild it,” he
said.
City officials say the piece was not “permanently attached” but
it was secured to the pedestal with clips and that it was “a not
an interactive piece.”
“We’ve had other pieces there [and] we’ve not had problems,”
said city spokesman Sean Reilly. “We’ve not had this situation…
we’ve not had kids climb on our pieces.”
But Goodman argued the sculpture should have been better
secured. She also disputes the city’s claim that her child
wasn’t being supervised. Goodman said she and her husband were
out of frame of the surveillance camera, saying their goodbyes
during a wedding reception that they were leaving, when the
incident occurred.
“No one would ever to expect that to come into a place that kids
are invited and have to worry about a $132,000 dollar piece of
art falling on their child,” Goodman said. “Because he didn’t
maliciously break that. It fell on him. It was not secure, it
was not safe -- at all.”
(HTM) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmVuDEOhs4c
#Post#: 16291--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: Anon2 Date: June 16, 2018, 4:27 pm
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I agree that the piece should have been secured to the stand.
I also agree that the child should have been supervised in a
place like that, which clearly he wasn't.
Bottom line is the insurance should cover the cost
#Post#: 16314--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: atlmom2 Date: June 16, 2018, 6:19 pm
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Heck yes they should pay something. The kid wasn't supervised
at all. Parental fail, no doubt.
#Post#: 16721--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: Brainysmurf Date: June 18, 2018, 12:50 pm
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The child was left to do whatever he wished with no parental
supervision, the parents bear some responsibility.
#Post#: 17811--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: Velvetfog Date: June 22, 2018, 5:47 am
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The video shows both that the child was unsupervised and the
sculpture poorly secured, which seems more in favor of the
family than the insurance company. Even knowing what it's about
beforehand, it's surprising to see something that appears so
solid topple over and I think that's a point that will strike a
lot of people who see it.
#Post#: 25488--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: EarlGrayHot Date: August 17, 2018, 10:13 am
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The video does clearly show that the kids are running and the
one child attempted to climb on the sculpture. It did not just
"fall" on the child-it was pulled over. That is the parent's
responsibility to supervise their child and I don't care if they
were just "out of frame" as she claims. The parents WERE
negligent.
But also pay attention to what the "artist" says: that the
sculpture is for sale at $32,000 and that it took him two years
to make. And: "It's beyond my capabilities and desires to fix
it." Just because he's asking for $32,000 doesn't mean that's
it's true worth or that he would actually get that price. In
addition-he says it's beyond his capability to repair it
(really?) And that basically, he just doesn't want to repair
it. He sees a way of getting the max from this wire sculpture
so he figures, "Heck I can't repair it!" I have a background in
art and have some familiarity with sculpture. And this is not
that great a piece - it is doubtful if anyone would pay him that
much for it.
We taught our daughter not to touch things in galleries from an
early age and we watched her carefully when we were around
objects d'art. And yes, it probably should have been secured
more carefully but I doubt such a thing actually hurt the kid on
whom it fell. Both sides are being outrageous in their claims.
#Post#: 25489--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: sha_lyn68 Date: August 17, 2018, 10:39 am
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the mom cracks me up saying about it being a place children were
invited to. They were at a wedding reception, not a game of tag.
#Post#: 25491--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family asked to pay $132,000 after boy knocks over sculpture
By: Pippi of the South Seas Date: August 17, 2018, 10:47 am
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I thought this was going to be more a story of little Tommy was
curious and reached out with a finger or two and it toppled
over. He put some real effort into that BS. He should have been
taught before going in that you don't touch things in there, and
yes, the parents should have been watching him at all times.
As far as "beyond repair' I don't know about that, based on the
video footage - looks like it's mostly intact, but I can
understand the guy not wanting to redo something he already
deemed as finished.
I think the parents should be held responsible.
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