Melissa Arzu, a Bronx resident, is suing American Airlines following the tragic death of her 14-year-old son, Kevin Greenidge, during a flight. The lawsuit claims the airline's crew used a faulty defibrillator in their attempt to save him.
Kevin suffered a medical emergency on American Airlines flight 614 from Honduras to Miami in 2022. Arzu alleges that the crew was slow to respond and inadequately trained. Witnesses also reported that the defibrillator used to revive Kevin did not function properly and has since gone missing.
The lawsuit, filed in Texas, seeks answers about the missing defibrillator and its condition. "After Kevin died, the equipment went missing," said Arzu's attorney, Hannah Crowe. "We need to know if it was destroyed, defective, or still in use."
Kevin, who had asthma and type 2 diabetes, died from a heart attack. The lawsuit also accuses American Airlines of failing to make an advance payment of $113,100, as required by their policy after a passenger's death.
American Airlines has not commented on the lawsuit but expressed condolences to Kevin's family.
The flight was diverted to Cancun, Mexico, where Kevin died in a hospital. Arzu expressed her frustration, saying, "I want American Airlines to take full responsibility for Kevin's death. I never want this to happen to another family."
Arzu's initial lawsuit in New York was dismissed, with the trial moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Crowe criticized the airline for making the process more difficult for Arzu. "American Airlines has compounded her trauma by forcing her to fight this case in Texas," Crowe said.
