Northeastern University student sues sorority and landlord over fall from window

BOSTON (AP) — A Northeastern University student and her parents are suing a sorority, its chapter president and a landlord after the student fell from a window and suffered critical injuries at a party.

Sarah Cox, then a junior at the university in Boston and a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, fell from the window at a party in March 2023, according to court filings. The filing states the kitchen of the apartment where the party was taking place was crowded and that Cox fell at least 20 feet (6 meters) to a driveway below.

Cox’s injuries are “catastrophic” and she will require “one to one care 24 hours per day and seven days per week on a permanent basis,” the lawsuit states. Cox and her parents are seeking $10.2 million in their lawsuit, The Boston Globe reported.

The lawsuit, which was filed in a Massachusetts court in March, says the defendants were negligent by not taking steps to prevent the fall and injuries. The landlord failed to stop tenants from granting access to too many people at one time, and the sorority chapter president should have known that alcohol was being consumed at the party and that could create unsafe conditions, court papers state.

“As a direct and proximate result of this defendant’s breach of these duties, the plaintiff, Sarah Cox suffered catastrophic and permanent injuries and continues to suffer from such permanent and catastrophic injuries,” the papers state.

James Kelly, the attorney listed on the Cox lawsuit, did not respond to requests for comment. Attorneys for the defendants also did not respond to requests for comment.

Defendants are seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed. The case is due to return to court next month, the Globe reported.

Defense attorneys wrote in court papers that the Cox family has not said how or why she fell from the window and that they don’t have evidence to prove negligence.

“Plaintiffs merely allege that all defendants were somehow responsible for the myriad of alleged behavior without any allegations of what actually caused the fall,” wrote the attorneys, William Eveland and Ellen Mannion in court papers in June.

The lawsuit states the sorority used the apartment as its sorority house, and that Cox was a member of the sorority. The lawsuit names both the national sorority and its Northeastern University chapter.

A GoFundMe set up on behalf of Cox had raised nearly $130,000 of its $150,000 goal as of Wednesday. The GoFundMe states that Sarah had hoped to become a doctor and had just returned from her third international medical mission trip, which was dedicated to helping people with limited access to medical care.

The GoFundMe states it was set up by Cox’s brother, Syed Ali, who wrote that the money raised will be used for medical expenses and long-term rehabilitation.

“She has a long road to recovery but we’re praying she makes it through this and gets back on track towards her life goal of helping others,” Ali wrote.