A grandfather was allegedly ‘boiled alive’ inside a hotel shower while traveling to his granddaughter’s college graduation.
Terril Johnson, 72, of Los Angeles, was staying at the Fairfield by Marriott hotel in San José, California on May 22 with family ahead of his granddaughter Trinity Johnson’s graduation.
After making the six-hour drive to the hotel, the Marine veteran took a hot shower which ‘effectively boiled him alive,’ according to a lawsuit viewed by The Los Angeles Times.
He was found by his grandson Deshun lying partially submerged inside the bathroom with the water running. The water was so hot that his family members were unable to pull his body out of the tub, according to the lawsuit.
The water is estimated to have been around 135 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 15 degrees higher than California’s legal limit.
‘Exposure to water at such temperatures is known to cause third-degree burns within seconds,’ the lawsuit states.
‘They were forced to watch in horror as his skin peeled away from his body.’
A person can suffer from a third-degree burn after just 30 seconds of exposure to 130-degree water, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Terril Johnson, 72, of Los Angeles, was staying at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites San José Airport on May 22 with family ahead of his granddaughter Trinity Johnson’s graduation from San José State University when he died
After making the six-hour drive from Los Angeles to San José, the Marine veteran took a scalding hot shower, which ‘effectively boiled him alive,’ the lawsuit said
A medical examiner determined the grandfather’s cause of death was ‘severe scalding burns’ to his neck, torso, and other parts of his body, covering roughly 30 percent of his body.
The examiner also determined Johnson, a former technician for LA Metro, had high blood pressure.
Johnson was allegedly found by Deshun within minutes of entering the shower. The family attempted CPR, but struggled to do so as his skin peeled.
The incident left the Johnson family with nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder, the lawsuit said.
The family has accused the hotel of wrongful death, saying: ‘This was not a freak accident.
‘It was the direct result of Defendant’s gross negligence and failure to meet even basic safety obligations,’ the lawsuit read.
The family remembers the Vietnam veteran as a ‘fun-loving person’ who ‘enjoyed life,’ according to The Mercury News.
He was a large presence in his children and grandchildren’s lives, especially his granddaughters Trinity and Heaven.
He was found by his grandson, Deshun Johnson, lying partially submerged inside the bathroom with the water running. The water was so hot that his family members were unable to pull his body out of the tub (pictured: the bathroom inside a room at the hotel)
A medical examiner determined the grandfather’s cause of death was ‘severe scalding burns’ to his neck, torso, and other parts of his body, covering roughly 30 percent of his body (pictured: Johnson with family)
Johnson married his high school sweetheart, Linda, and they were married for 54 years, the family said
‘He talked to the girls on the phone every day,’ his son, Terrill Johnson Jr. told The Mercury News. ‘They were his joy in the world.’
Johnson had been ‘ecstatic’ to see Trinity graduate, a moment he never got to actually see.
Johnson married his high school sweetheart, Linda, and they were married for 54 years, the family said.
He also worked at LA Metro for more than two decades, overseeing a large facility in downtown LA.
‘[He was] on of the top guys real quick,’ his son told the outlet.
The Daily Mail has contacted Marriott and the family’s lawyer for comment.
