Florida Paramedic Sued For Theft of Foot

Posted by: Curt Varone March 8, 2011 13 Comments

The Florida paramedic who took the detached lower leg of an accident victim for use in canine cadaver training, has been sued by the leg’s owner for damages. The bizarre case began on September 19, 2008 when Karl Lambert of Brevard County was severely injured in a car accident on Rt. 95.

St. Lucie County Fire District paramedic Cynthia Economou took the leg from the accident scene intending to use it to help train her dog in body recovery. She subsequently was charged criminally with second-degree petit theft, pled nolo in May, 2009, and served 6 months probation. She resigned from the fire department.

The lawsuit seeks damages for conduct that was “outrageous and went beyond the bounds of decency … was odious and utterly intolerable in a civilized society.”

Economou contends that the foot was so badly damaged it could not have been reattached. She claims she found it still in the wreckage an hour after Lambert had been transported. The lawsuit challenges the assertion that the foot could not be attached, and seeks unspecified damages from both Economou and the fire district.

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
© Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved. | FireLawBlog.com & Curt Varone | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
x

Check Also

Rochester Firefighter Claims Domestic Violence and Gender Discrimination

A Rochester firefighter who claims to have been the victim of domestic violence and sexual harassment at work, has filed suit against the City of Rochester. The firefighter, identified as Jane Doe, claims that the city failed to protect her from domestic violence as required by state law and city policy, and that she was sexually harassed by coworkers at work.

Kentucky Court Concludes Board Member Testifying and Voting Violates Due Process

A Kentucky court has concluded that a fire district board member who served as an adverse witness against an accused firefighter in a disciplinary proceeding, violated the firefighter’s due process by participating in deliberations and the adjudication decision.