Parents of cosplay model sues

The parents of a popular cosplay model in China who drowned on Saipan last September filed suit in the CNMI Superior Court early this month.

Dan Liu’s father, Zhenjiang Liu, and mother, Hongmei Hou, filed the case against Island Travel Investments, LLC, which does business as Sea Fun Villa. They want mandatory mediation once Sea Fun Villa responds.

Liu came to Saipan in September 2017 at the invitation of Sea Fun Villa.

Liu and her companions stayed at the villa. On Sept. 25, she and her companions went swimming in the villa’s pool. While in the pool, it started to rain accompanied by strong winds. The strong movement of the water pushed Liu away from the edge of the pool into the deeper side while her companions were able to stay on the edge of the pool. Liu and her companions were non-swimmers and, when Liu was struggling, nobody was able to help.

One of the companions called for help, which caught the attention of the hotel housekeeper who then called the caretaker. The caretaker came out with a long pole and, together with another hotel guest, worked to pull Liu out of the pool.

Other hotel guests gave cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to Liu who was already unconscious. An ambulance arrived and brought Liu to the hospital but she died the next day.

The complaint stated wrongful death as a first cause of action due to a breach of contract. The plaintiffs stated that when Liu was invited to come to Saipan and stay at Sea Fun Villa, the company agreed to provide hotel accommodations and a relaxing atmosphere that would extend to recreational facilities within the villa.

The suit accused the company of failing to inform Liu of the depth of the pool because no adequate signs were posted around the pool. There were no handrails, safety devices, life-saving equipment, and the defendants failed to designate a competent person to supervise swimming activities, it said.

A second cause of action is based on negligence, saying the company failed to employ a lifeguard who should be on duty when the swimming pool is open for use.

In the event that the mandatory mediation is unsuccessful, plaintiffs will pursue a full-blown civil case for damages and demand a jury trial. The model’s parents are represented by David Banes.

The company is required to file an answer to the complaint in the coming days.