The respective parents of Claudia Wadlington, 5, and the Riley Lawrence, 4, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit for the girls’ hit-and-run deaths. The two girls were killed on July 25, 2008 as they were walking to swim class. They were holding hands with Claudia’s mom, Angela, as they crossed Floyd Street when a Pontiac Grand Am hit them. The driver of the car, Kenielle Finch, also hit Metro Police who attempted to apprehend him following the deadly hit and run accident.
Named as defendants in the pedestrian accident complaint are Kenielle Finch, who was charged with their murders (in addition to 12 other related charges) and Keynisha Butler, who lent Finch the car that hit the girls. Finch entered a not guilty plea to the criminal charges and will stand trial.
The families’ wrongful death lawsuit seeks to recover hospital expenses, burial costs, and other accident-related expenses with the help of a Louisiana personal injury law firm. This includes Angela’s hospital expenses for her injuries, as well as punitive damages from both men.