When she falls down an uncovered manhole because she didn’t want to miss the chance to tweet about the latest hook-up rumor.
Sadly, it’s a true story.
Alexa Longueira, a popular Staten Island teen, did in fact fall down a manhole because she was too busy texting.
According to police, the girl fell roughly five feet into a dark pit as she walked along a relatively empty side street in New York City. Reports say workers from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection were about to put out safety cones when Longueira reportedly came strolling along with her eyes firmly focused on the message she was texting instead of the sidewalk in front of her. The workers claim they did not have enough time to warn the teen before she fell into the hole.
The good news is that Longueira didn’t get seriously injured. According to police, she suffered minor cuts and bruises, but is said to be on the mend.
The bad news is the girl’s parents are turning what could have been a valuable lesson for their text-obsessed teen into another example of why people from other countries think that Americans are sue-happy idiots.
Yeah, the Longueira’s filed a lawsuit.
Surprise, surprise…
The teen’s parents are allegedly irate that the manhole was uncovered, and oh, boo-hoo, their poor innocent, oblivious daughter could have sustained much more serious injuries if it were not for the fact that the hole was not deeper.
WAAAHHH!!
Give me a break!
Here’s a thought: Why not turn your ire to your daughter, who should have been watching where she was going? After all, what true New Yorker dares to traverse a city street (regardless of how crowded it is) without the aid of both eyes?
And what’s the lawsuit going to get you?
I suppose if they win then it takes the heat off the ditsy daughter and places the blame squarely on city workers who neglected to consider that a wayward texting teen could step straight into an open manhole.
I guess a win in court could also net the family a chunk of cash, though I doubt there’s enough money in the world to buy the parents a clue about why they may be doing a disservice to their kid by having her watch them flippantly file a lawsuit whenever life throws a curveball.
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A Lesson for Parents WithText-Crazed Kids
Does Your Child Have a Cellphone?