I started reading an article online because the headline caught my eye – it was about the disbarment of a Detroit attorney, Gregory Rohl, who misappropriated over $600,000 of a wrongful-death settlement meant for a grieving family. It quickly became evident, however, that the real focus of the article should have been on proposed legislation that could prevent a future death of another child.
In January of 2017, Lilliana Kerr was enjoying recess at a Head Start school located at St. Albert the Great Parish in Dearborn Heights, when a 350 lb table that folded into the gym wall fell on top of her, causing her death. The cafeteria table had been recalled and should have been removed in 2007. The safety mat was no longer secured, having fallen from the table, and left lying on the floor. Lilliana left behind her mother, Tabatha, older brother Jayden and twin sister Tieranie, who are now 19 and 13.
Determined that her daughter’s death would make a difference, Tabatha continues to advocate for legislation called Lilliana’s Law, Michigan House Bill No. 4167, introduced in 2021. Lilliana’s Law would mandate yearly inspections for all school facilities and create a school safety registry which would document incidents that have occurred at any school in Michigan. The law would require the Department of Health and Human Services to publish guidelines for inspecting school premises for both health and safety violations. Any violations would have to be corrected within 14 days after the inspection report was submitted, with verification provided.
The misappropriation of the settlement is just another devastating loss to the family, who have yet to see accountability and justice occur for Lilliana. The total settlement was $2.5 million, but the portion earmarked for Lilliana’s siblings has never appeared in their accounts. Rohl maintains that he never knowingly took any money and placed the blame on his deceased partner and office manager.
For more information and how you can help, go to https://lillianaslaw.com.
