A Yankton mother whose child was mauled by a pit bull is appealing a lower court decision that the trailer park’s landlord is not liable. The mother’s attorney says the lower court granted summary judgment to the landlord, but the case should have been heard by a jury.
The South Dakota Supreme Court heard arguments last week at the Knudson School of Law at USD.
David King represents Teresa Burgi, whose then 12-year-old son, Kaleb, was injured by a pit bull at Eastwinds Court in Yankton.
On September 23rd of 2017, Kaleb was playing basketball with other children on a private dead-end street in the park, using a basketball hoop located at the front of Ronald Pasman’s trailer. The ball bounced into Pasman’s yard, and Kaleb ran to retrieve it. That’s when the pit bull attacked him.
According to court documents, the boy has had eight facial reconstruction surgeries and now suffers from seizures.
Justices will deliberate and issue an opinion at a later date.
