Texting Teen Falls Down Manhole

[THUNDERDUCK]

We all know that walking and texting is a tough combination -- but a Staten Island teen learned the hard way when she fell into an uncovered sewer manhole while trying to send a message.

Now, the family of Alexa Longueira, 15, intends to sue.

The girl suffered a fright and some scrapes on her arms back after she dropped into the hole on Victory Boulevard.

"It was four or five feet, it was very painful. I kind of crawled out and the DEP guys came running and helped me," Longueria told the Staten Island Advance.. "They were just, like, 'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

For its part, the Department of Environmental Protection said its workers had turned away briefly to grab some cones when the incident occurred.

"We regret that this happened and wish the young woman a speedy recovery," DEP spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla said in a statement. She added that crews were flushing a high-pressure sewer line at the time.

The girl was checked out at Staten Island University Hospital and released.

Sewer line workers are supposed to cut off pedestrian access to work sites or at least mark them with warning signs.

The family said they will file a lawsuit -- for what, though, is not immediately clear. Her mother, Kim Longueira, said it doesn't matter that her daughter was walking and texting, and also, the 'gross' factor that can't be ignored.

"Oh my God, it was putrid," she said. "One of her sneakers is still down there"

[shadowstar]

Of course it MATTERS!

Sure, they shouldn't have left the manhole open like that, but she should have been WATCHING where she was walking in the first place.

[Saikami]

Just another reason to sue someone

The girl should just learn to watch where she's walking.

[Slack]

"WE'RE GONNA SUE SOMEONE FOR THIS! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT FOR YET, BUT WE'RE GONNA SUE!!!"

At the very least, the girl should be responsible for SOME PART of where she's going.  If she ran into a street light and broke her nose, would she sue the city for putting it there?  Would that be a better case than this, which just ended in the loss of a shoe and some scrapes?  I know that there's at least some issue of negligence on the part of the workers, but to say the girl's own neglect didn't contribute greatly to what happened is ridiculous.

[Shin Asuka]

Even if there were cones surrounding the manhole she could've just walked past them and fell in anyways. This is why I hate people walking/driving and texting at the same time.

[JFC]

K, I'll say it. If I had been there when it happened I would have laughed at her stupid ass.


That being said, both sides are at fault to a point. The workers should definitely have blocked off the area with barriers. What if it had been a blind person that had fallen down the hole?  The girl obviously should have been watching where she was going. What if she came to an intersection and walked out into oncoming traffic?

[BX_LeMans]

This is america, where stupid people sue and get million dollars 

Oh, and a blind woman wouldn't fall into that hole, she has a stick in front of her to feel such things.

[kuno_thunder]

"Medical bills are mounting." <-- Yeah, I'm sure they are.  Just like the girl that died while twittering because she brought her LAPTOP INTO THE BATHTUB, this child is clearly the victim.  Watch where you're going, and you might not look like an idiot on the internet.
Teen Girl Falls In Open Manhole While Texting

[StreakInTheSky]

I've rushed to class while texting. It's not too hard, just look up every few seconds. It's not that hard to learn to text blindly if you text often either.

I don't mind texting while walking as long as you at least try to pay attention to what's in front of you.

But even though, I still think the workers are more at fault for not putting up at least some kind of warning. What if some kids were playing around there and the open manhole wasn't easily visible. Why would you open the manhole first and then leave it unattended to get cones?

The fact that the family is suing for what looks like just to cash in on this whole thing is despicable.

[tru_harmony]

coming from a country where people die for falling into manholes (left open for weeks or months, even) they didn't see because OF EXCESSIVE FLOODING, CLOUDY SKIES AND HEAVY RAINS this is just =_=

...

does this mean even her friend wasn't looking at where they're going?

* tru_harmony is tru_facepalm