Woman files wrongful death lawsuit against resort travel companies after husband was electrocuted in hot tub
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Emma Tucker, Andy Rose and Kara Mihm, CNN
(CNN) — A Texas woman has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against two Mexican resort travel companies, seeking more than $1 million, after her husband was electrocuted in a resort hot tub earlier this month.
Lizzette Zambrano, a resident of El Paso County, Texas, accuses the “operators, managers, and possessors” of the Sonoran Sea Resort in Sonora, Mexico, of being “grossly negligent,” which led to her injury and the death of her husband, Jorge Guillen, according to the lawsuit. She is now recovering at home, her attorney said.
“I want somebody to take accountability for what happened to my husband and myself,” Zambrano told ABC’s Good Morning America in an interview aired Friday.
The couple were on vacation at the resort on June 11 when they decided to spend time in the hot tub, the lawsuit said. As soon as Guillen entered the tub, he was “exposed to an electrical current in the water,” it said.
“Jorge immediately keeled over into the tub and was taken under the surface of the water,” according to the lawsuit. “Witnessing her husband immediately collapse, Lizzette sprang forward from the pool deck to try and grab Jorge’s body … ”
Zambrano attempted to rescue him, the suit states, but was also shocked. She was eventually rescued by a bystander and taken to a hospital.
“Patrons attempted to assist, grabbing a shepherd’s cross and other items to attempt to get Jorge’s body,” the suit claims. “However, the metal from the objects carried the electrical current and began shocking the rescuers.”
The lawsuit names vacation rental companies Casago, LLC, Casago International, LLC and High Desert Travel, Inc. as defendants. CNN reached out to each company for comment. The latter two did not immediately respond.
Guillen was being shocked and drowned underwater for 10 minutes, the suit said, before Casago staff and the other defendants “finally availed themselves and began to assist in rescuing Jorge,” the lawsuit said.
Zambrano told ABC: “A lot of people jumped in, but they kept jumping out because the shocks were so strong.”
In a statement to CNN, Casago LLC said, “We are devastated by what has occurred and our hearts are with the family and the victims of this terrible incident.”
“The Sonoran Sea is a condo resort and the homeowners’ association is responsible for all common areas, including the maintenance of the swimming pool, hot tubs, and grounds. Casago, a vacation rental company, is not involved in any management or maintenance of the resort,” the statement continued. “Regarding this incident, our involvement ends at the individual condo reservation.”
The homeowners’ association has not returned CNN’s request for comment.
It is not clear how or if Casago, LLC is connected to Casago International LLC. Corporate records show Casago International, LLC and High Desert Travel, Inc. have the same Arizona office address and the same top executive. Corporate records also show Casago LLC and High Desert Travel share the same telephone number.
El Paso County Judge Francisco X. Dominguez granted a temporary restraining order Tuesday, prohibiting the defendants or anyone working with them from altering the hot tub. The judge also ordered any video evidence from the incident and any communications about the incident between the defendants’ employees be preserved until at least July 2.
“Preserving this evidence is important to the prosecution of Ms. Zambrano’s case, and a crucial first step in this litigation, to hopefully preventing this type of tragedy from ever happening again,” said Zambrano’s attorney Tej Paranjpe.
The lawsuit describes Guillen as an “industrious, affectionate, loving, compassionate, energetic, cooperative, patient, and attentive father and gave guidance, advice, counseling, protection, comfort, services, care, and attention to his family.”
“His death has deprived Lizzette of the love and society of her husband, and the right to that affection, solace, comfort, companionship, and assistance,” the suit said.