An agreement was recently reached in Nassau Surrogate’s Court for Innocent Demesyeux sr., father of 2 boys who were drowned in a bathtub by their mother in 2008. In the agreement Mr. Demesyeux will receive $100,000 in estate money. The money comes from wrongful-death settlements in Nassau County after determining that social service case workers could have done more to save the children.
Back in 2009, Leatrice Brewer pleaded not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect for the killing of her children. The state found child protection workers did an incomplete investigation and missed potential signs of abuse.
Attorney Kenneth Weinstein questioned Brewer last year and she felt that Demesyeux should not get anything in settlement claiming abandonment. Demesyeux clearly made efforts to be a parent and was even seeking custody of his sons.
Thomas Foley represented Demesyeux and stated his client was pleased the matter was settled. “It’s clear now that he had not abandoned the kids,” said Foley, “It’s been a terrible experience, starting off with burying children killed at the hands of their mother, to standing up and defending his role as father to these boys.” This agreement also provided $10,000 to go into trust funds for Demesyeux’s two living children. Read more here.
If you have lost a loved one in an accident and are uncertain of how to proceed, contact a Nassau County wrongful death lawyer at Foley Griffin. We can help you administer the estate and file a wrongful death lawsuit.