Jul 28, 2008 10:45 pm US/Central
Family Fights In Court To Keep Son's Story Online
(WCCO)
A Twin Cities mother and father are fighting to keep information about their son's death public. Tyler Hill died last summer in Japan on a trip sponsored by People to People, a student ambassador program.
His family filed a lawsuit saying the organization didn't do enough to save their son.
Allen and Sheryl Hill still have a hard time dealing with their loss. Their son Tyler was a 16-year-old boy known for his smarts, his love of sports and his big heart.
"Allen and I both wanted to be sure that no other family ever has to feel our pain," said Sheryl Hill.
That's why after Tyler died they told his story online. They made a Web site dedicated to warning other parents of what they say is People to People's failure to get him medical help for his diabetes, even after he asked for it.
However, lawyers for that program want a court to keep some of the story off line. They filed a motion that would work as a confidentiality agreement to keep some court documents supporting the Hill's case away from other eyes.
"We're entitled to put out information as we know it and to state our opinion just as they are," said Allen Hill.
People to People's Web site states that when it comes to safety it sets the gold standard and makes no mention of what happened to Tyler.
So, the Hill's will wait for a judge to decide what's next. In the meantime, they say they'll keep posting their son's story since he can't.
"Parents have the right to know how this company is operating to protect their children, " said Sheryl Hill.
WCCO-TV's call to People to People was not returned but one of its lawyers said no one is trying to shut down the Hill's Web site. However, on it the family has posted a copy of the lawsuit and other people's complaints about the group. Lawyers for People to People say by doing so they are trying this case online, and that's their main complaint.
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