On Oct. 12, 1998, 12-year-old Jorge Luis Cabrera ducked under a metal bus shelter in Miami to get out of a storm. When he touched an improperly grounded fitting, he was fatally electrocuted. His death triggered years of criminal and civil battles and ultimately forced Miami-Dade County to overhaul how its bus shelters are powered and maintained.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
Investigators determined that Cabrera was electrocuted after his ankle came into contact with an improperly grounded conduit in the shelter during the storm, according to the Los Angeles Times. Emergency crews found him near a bench, and utility workers quickly checked the shelter’s lighting and conduit while county building officials opened investigations into the wiring.
A Landmark Verdict
In June 2005, a Miami-Dade jury awarded Jorge’s father $65.1 million – $4.1 million in compensatory damages and $61 million in punitive damages – after finding the shelter owner negligent, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. Jurors heard that the shelter had…..