Posted on 02/05/2005 12:46:24 PM PST by Valin
DURANGO, Colo. (Feb. 4) - A Colorado judge ordered two teen-age girls to pay about $900 for the distress a neighbor said they caused by giving her home-made cookies adorned with paper hearts.
The pair were ordered to pay $871.70 plus $39 in court costs after neighbor Wanita Renea Young, 49, filed a lawsuit complaining that the unsolicited cookies, left at her house after the girls knocked on her door, had triggered an anxiety attack that sent her to the hospital the next day.
Taylor Ostergaard, then 17, and Lindsey Jo Zellitte, 18, paid the judgment on Thursday after a small claims court ruling by La Plata County Court Judge Doug Walker, a court clerk said on Friday.
The girls baked cookies as a surprise for several of their rural Colorado neighbors on July 31 and dropped off small batches on their porches, accompanied by red or pink paper hearts and the message: "Have a great night."
The Denver Post newspaper reported on Friday that the girls had decided to stay home and bake the cookies rather than go to a dance where there might be cursing and drinking.
It reported that six neighbors wrote letters entered as evidence in the case thanking the girls for the cookies.
But Young said she was frightened because the two had knocked on her door at about 10:30 p.m. and run off after leaving the cookies.
She went to a hospital emergency room the next day, fearing that she had suffered a heart attack, court records said.
The judge awarded Young her medical costs, but did not award punitive damages. He said he did not think the girls had acted maliciously but that 10:30 was fairly late at night for them to be out.
Dupe, 2 to the 9th power
I just couldn't believe that when I read that yesterday.. just goes to show you that good deeds do indeed get punished..aint' just the loonie judges in Calif that are whacked out......just unbelievable......
Freepers -- Doesn't that make you want to chip in to pay that fine for those girls? It seems so wrong.
Wanita Renea Young
Wanita???
OK, I got it.
The Denver Post newspaper reported on Friday that the girls had decided to stay home and bake the cookies rather than go to a dance where there might be cursing and drinking.
It sounds almost too good to be true. Cursing?
What happened to the "egg shell skull doctrine"? I feel sorry for the lady, but the answer is not to sue these little girls. People have no sense of reality these days.
they should have a block party right in front of the house of that old bitty.....I have no doubt she may have been scared but in my days of youth we would have just had to apologize and shakehands........that is what the lawyers union has done to this nation.....
I suppose the lady would have suffered less stress if the girls had delivered a flaming bag of dog-doo to her front door and rang the doorbell.
But cookies? You have any idea WHAT might be in those cookies?
HERE is a bit more of the story, from the Durango Herald, which is online. Evidently the fine is paid and then some. The neighbor's picture is included in the Durango article -- she is NOT an old lady -- see for yourself.
PS -- Many apologies re posting this in this format/ excerpted. I did not know how to post an article in reply (and get it in the same chat area). And the picture did not copy from the newspaper, but it is ... very interesting in itself.
February 5, 2005
Friendly gesture ends in court
By George Lurie
Herald Staff Writer
Two Durango teens, whose late-night delivery of cookies to a frightened neighbor resulted in a $930 court judgment against them this week, won't have to dig into their own pockets to pay the fine.
Wanita Renea Young won a $930 judgment against two girls who left cookies on her front porch July 31. Young says the incident gave her an anxiety attack, which required hospital care. "Fifteen years ago, I was assaulted by one of my neighbors as I was taking my children to meet the school bus, and I wondered if somehow the incident was connected to that," she said.
Denver radio station KOA-AM raised more than $1,900 from listeners Friday to pay the girls' $930.78 fine. The remaining sum will go to a charity dedicated to victims of the Columbine High School massacre.
As the radio station raised the money, Taylor Ostergaard and Lindsey Zellitti, both 18, flew to New York City to tape a segment about the cookie caper for ABC's "Good Morning America." But not before the father of one of the girls filed a restraining order against the husband of the litigious neighbor.
Her parents couldn't spell "Juanita" or "Renee"
Gives new meaning to the term "Cookie Monster."
The judge should have ordered everyone to become good neighbors and friends, under supervision. With cookies for everyone. Did the judge get a any cookies?
Oh, for heaven's sake. What is the matter with people? And what is wrong with that judge?
You cannot bake cookies for my son's school. They don't trust the parents of the children. All baked goods must come sealed with a label from a known store. This is a large urban school system.
If that caused her an anxiety attack, what the heck does she do when something bad happens?
Wanita??? OK, I got it.
20 years ago in Mississippi Mrs. jimfree told me about some women talking and one of them referring to the other as Yvonne. She presumes that was how the name was spelled, but the sound she heard was more like Whyvonne.
Maybe they have had some experience with stone btownies.
I propose the following sign to be placed on the front gate.
Never, I mean never come to my door at half past ten on a dark scary night and knock on my door and then promptly leave because I will get an anxiety attack and may believe I am dieing of a heart attack. If you do I will promptly sue you! Thank you for your kindness.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.