Woman’s estate sues Hudson school district after she got stuck in fence and died

The Hudson City School District is being sued by the estate of a woman who they say died from injuries from becoming stuck in a fence.

It happened at the Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School on Jan. 13, 2023. Deborah Green tripped on the sidewalk on Paddock Place adjacent to the school on Harry Howard Avenue. Her head and neck became stuck between two bars of the school’s metal fence, according to court documents filed by Elliot Green, administrator of her estate.

Greene was severely injured and subsequently died.

The lawsuit blames the school district for letting the sidewalk deteriorate into a cracked and sunken condition with gaps. They also did not properly illuminate the sidewalk and did not properly remove snow and ice. The district also should have repaired the fence, the lawsuit read.

The plaintiffs wrote that: “the negligence, carelessness, recklessness, willfulness, wantonness and conscious and deliberate disregard for the safety of others by the Defendants, their agents, servants and employees, caused the death.”

The lawsuit was filed on Jan. 23, 2024. It also names defendants at the Hudson Board of Education, city of Hudson and Hudson Police Department.

It does not specifically state how many monetary damages they are seeking.

Hudson Superintendent of Schools Juliette Pennyman issued a statement in response to an inquiry from NewsChannel 13.

“While the Hudson City School District respectfully offers its deep condolences, we must decline comment due to the pending and ongoing litigation,” she said.

Hudson Police Chief Mishanda Franklin also declined comment.

The city of Hudson did not respond to a media inquiry.

The lawsuit was first reported by Hudson Valley 360.