Mother of Drowning Victim, Grungo Law Attorneys Make Public Plea For Answers to Tragedy

At a press conference today held by lawyers from personal injury firm Grungo Law, as well as other attorneys representing four-year-old drowning victim Cami Grinnell, Cami’s mother Yvonne Grinnell spoke publicly for the first time about the tragedy of her daughter’s death at Lake Absegami (Bass River State Park).

“You can’t imagine what it’s like to see your baby full of life in the morning before camp, and later that day she is on life support having drowned in a public park – without any flotation device and in front of lifeguards.”

Ms. Grinnell, a Burlington County, NJ resident, made a personal plea to ensure that what happened to her daughter does not happen to anyone else.

“I waited my whole life for my little angel, adopting her after fostering children for so many years,” said Ms. Grinnell. “And can you imagine what it’s like every day trying to explain to Charles, Cami’s big (nine-year-old) brother, who pulled her limp body from the lake, why she is gone. We must find out what happened and why, and prevent it from happening again.”

With regards to that request, Ms. Grinnell’s attorneys from Grungo Law LLC, Cherry Hill, NJ and Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky, P.C., of Philadelphia have filed claims notices, as required, with the State of New Jersey and will soon follow up with a civil complaint.

Larry Bendesky, of SMBB, commented, “Cami Grinnell was a precious child who deserved to live a long and bountiful life. Camp personnel and park staff failed her miserably, to the point where she was denied use of the very flotation device – inflatable arm floats – that had any chance of saving her life. He added, “Instead of her life being guarded at Lake Absegami, it was ignored, which led to her death.”

Richard Grungo, of Grungo Law, said, “Cami’s mother is grateful to the park visitors who came to her daughter’s aid that day, but also knows there are more eyewitnesses that can help explain this tragedy. We join in her public appeal for any additional information that could be helpful in the ongoing investigation into her drowning.”