Dead Girl’s Family Awarded $12.3M by Connecticut Jury

A state jury has awarded $12.3 million to the family of a 5-year-old girl who drowned in a pool accident in Waterbury, Conn., in 2008.

Jurors at Waterbury Superior Court returned the verdict Thursday, finding the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterbury liable for Brianna Murray’s death.

Lawyers for Brianna’s family, Kathleen Nastri and William Bloss, say Brianna’s death could have been prevented with adequate pool supervision.

Brianna died days after slipping under the water during a free swim.

Brianna’s mother, Retemar Robinson, said the verdict was justice for Brianna.

A lawyer for the Boys & Girls Club, Gregory A. Anderson, says he will appeal the verdict. He says Brianna’s death touched everyone at the club, but the organization wasn’t responsible for what happened and the pool supervision was adequate.