Grieving Mother Receives $100,000 in Wrongful Death Damages from Louisiana Sheriff Department

Thibodaus, LADistrict Judges have ruled in favor of a Galliano-area woman who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, after an unfortunate incident led to the fatal shooting of her infant son.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">In May 2007, the Lafourche County Sheriffs forcibly entered the home of an assault suspect named Albert Dodge without a warrant, engaging in a shootout that claimed the lives of both Dodge and his 7-month old son. A Deputy Sheriff was also shot.

In a decision reached earlier this month, a Lafourche district judge awarded the child's mother roughly $102,500 in damages for the death of her infant son, and an additional $7,500 for her wrongful imprisonment.

"Certainly, Mr. Dodge's lifestyle contributed greatly to this situation, and I do not make this award lightly," Hugh Larose, the judge who presided over the case, tells the Daily Comet. "But I feel, based on the case law I've reviewed, I am required to do so."

The Sheriff's department has criticized the child's mother for not warning officers that Dodge was armed or that their child was sleeping inside.