Terril Johnson had traveled to San José in May to see his granddaughter graduate from San José State the next day and jumped into the hotel shower after a long drive from Los Angeles.
But instead of a relaxing shower, family members allege, the 72-year-old was “effectively boiled alive” by scalding water that a medical examiner said ultimately resulted in his death, according to a lawsuit filed against the hotel. When his grandson went into the bathroom to check on him, he allegedly found Johnson unconscious, partially submerged in water that was so hot his family couldn’t pull him out without burning themselves.
Family members tried to help Johnson and perform CPR, but, according to court filings, they struggled and “were forced to watch in horror as his skin peeled away from his body.”…