Grieving parents sue New Jersey after rotted tree kills 12-year-old son

🌲 Lucas Schwartz was crushed to death by a falling tree in his Lawrence backyard

🌲 His parents are suing the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

🌲 Family says officials ignored warnings about rotted trees on its property

LAWRENCE (Mercer) — The family of a 12-year-old boy who was crushed to death by a tree that fell on him as he played in his backyard is suing the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs because the "dead and rotted" tree was on their property.

Winds were gusting to 25 mph around noon on Oct. 15, 2024, as Lucas Schwartz played with a friend in the backyard of his Eldridge Avenue home when a 40-50 foot tree snapped at its base, split in two and fell on top of him, according to Lawrence Township police. The boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The lawsuit filed by parents Melissa Olivieri and Ronie Schwartz says the tree was on the former Bossio-Salt Preserve. The DMVA should have been aware of the tree's condition and removed it earlier.

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Family demands accountability, hopes to prevent future tragedy

The family met with Joseph Lech, the supervisor of the headquarters, soon after Lucas' death and promised an investigation, according to the lawsuit.  A month after the boy’s death the agency had other rotted trees removed but did not acknowledge that a rotted tree was responsible for the boy’s death.

The family seeks to recover medical, funeral, burial and estate expenses.

"We, the Schwartz family, continue to be devastated by the senseless loss of our beloved son. We respectfully ask for privacy as we cope with this unimaginable tragedy — one that resulted from negligence and a lack of proper care for the property involved. Our deepest hope is that no other family will ever have to endure such a heartbreaking loss," the family said in a statement released by their attorneys, Morgan A. Kendall and Jason Weiss of the firm Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky.

The DMVA did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for comment.

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