For many teenagers, the best way to spend the summer is to earn some money while spending time with good friends. For two Illinois girls, both 14-years-old, seeking to do this, the summer ended tragically. The two girls died last month after being electrocuted while removing tassels from corn in a field in outside of Rock Falls. Their death may have been due to a defect in a product being used in the field.

According to witnesses, the first girl screamed as she encountered the electrical current when she stepped into a puddle in the corn field. The second girl, her best friend, was shocked when she grabbed the first girl. A third girl, the stepsister of one of the deceased tried to pull the two away from the puddle but was forced to stop when she too received a shock.

Reportedly, officials are looking into irrigation equipment manufactured by Monsanto Company as the cause. The father of one of the girls filed a negligence lawsuit against several companies and individuals alleging negligence. In addition to Monsanto Company, named defendants include the company that hired the workers, the owners of the land, the man who owned the land and the electrical company. Among other things, the lawsuit claims the defendants knew of the issue but did not fix it.

Laws require that products sold to consumers be free of defects. When a defective product injures or kills someone, the injured party or the loved ones of the deceased may be entitled to financial compensation.

Monsanto released a statement denying it had any knowledge of the hazard, expressing its sadness at the two deaths and reaffirming its commitment to safety. The company said is it cooperating with both the police and OSHA in the investigations they are conducting.

Source

Chicago Tribune: "Lawsuit filed in deaths of girls, 14, in cornfield," Aug. 5, 2011