A Connecticut couple who hosted a teen house party that got out of control is being sued by two families who say their sons were beaten and stabbed after being supplied alcohol by the adults who should have done something to stop the intoxicated brawl.
Paul and Susanna Leifer, who are respectively 59 and 51 years old, were arrested in March by Shelton police in connection to a May 2022 house party they threw, which led to a huge fight that ended with the stabbing death of a high schooler, reports the New York Post.
Both parents were charged with permitting minors to possess alcohol, and Susanna was also hit with a second-degree reckless endangerment charge linked to four minors who were stabbed following a fight after the party.
“On or about May 14, 2022, Defendants hosted a social gathering at their home on the premises during which a substantial amount of alcohol was served to, and consumed by, individuals under the age of [21],” reads one lawsuit filed by Thomas Connery, the father of one of the minors who was stabbed that evening.
While his child survived, 17-year-old James McGrath was killed.
The complaint alleges that a fight broke out amongst drunk minors at the Leifer’s house and that the defendants “knew or should have known that alcohol causes individuals, adults and minors included, to become intoxicated, impaired, and often, violent and aggressive.”
The fight eventually made its way to another house party, leading to four students being stabbed.
Raul Eliah Valle, who was 16 at the time, has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of first-degree assault.
Connery’s lawsuit further alleges that after the initial fight broke out at the Leifers’ home, the two parents allowed the intoxicated attendees to leave instead of breaking up the fight, calling the police, or taking “otherwise appropriate action.”
It is unclear if the Leifer’s child was involved in the brawl.
“Connery is accusing the Leifers of two counts of negligence, negligence per se, host liability, recklessness, and negligent infliction of emotional distress for the suffering inflicted upon his son,” the Post reported.
The second lawsuit was filed by Jeffrey Heinz, another parent of a teen who was assaulted that night. His complaint similarly alleges that the Leifers knew they were supplying alcohol to underage minors.
Heinz and his son allege that shortly after arriving at the Leifers’ party, the teen “was assaulted by several of the Leifer[s’] guests, all underaged, who had consumed alcohol on the premises with the Leifer[s’] knowledge and consent.” The plaintiff “was thrown to the ground, beaten with fists, kicked, and cho[k]ed,” the family complained.
The high schooler was allegedly beaten in the head with a “motorcycle helmet” by another guest.
Heinz complained that despite the Leifers’ supposed knowledge of the violence, they did not “report the assault to police…or in any way restrain their underaged, intoxicated guests.”
The stabbings took place after the fight left the Leifer’s home and broke out again at a second address, where the second lawsuit complains that the plaintiff was beaten again and “stabbed multiple times.”
Witnesses reportedly told police that there were about 25 people engaged in the fight on the front lawn of the home at one point.
Heinz is also formally accusing the couple of negligence, negligence per se, and recklessness.
The father of James McGrath also sued the Leifers in June, the Connecticut Post reported.
At least three juvenile suspects were mentioned in the police report detailing the fight, including Valle, the suspected stabber.
Valle was released on a $2 million bond just days after the incident, according to the Post.
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