Families of Sandy Hook victims hope to sue the estate of Nancy Lanza

[Texashiker]

What happened at Sandy Hook was terrible. But why go after Nancy Lanza? She was a victim just like everyone else.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ies-son-Adams-26-victims-hope-sue-estate.html

Nancy Lanza's assets worth a total of $64,000 - not nearly enough to satisfy the families of her son Adam's 26 victims who hope to sue her estate

Nancy Lanza has five bank accounts worth a total of $60,000
The home she shared with her son is an estimated $40,000 underwater
The house has been empty since the December 14, 2012, shooting massacre that left 27 innocent people dead

Is there a real need to sue her estate? I understand people are suffering emotionally. But shouldn't Nancy be able to rest at peace like the other victims? She is not here to speak up for herself. So why drag her memory through the courts?

How many of the victims were left disabled and will need life long medical care? From what I understand there were no victims left alive from the shooting. So its not like someone needs that money to help with medical bills? I may be wrong there.

Nancy was a victim just like the other people who were killed. I personally think this is rather sad people would go after her estate and and not let her memory rest in peace.

 

[theeedude]

Really, that nice house is only $360K?

You can maybe buy a 1br condo here in silly valley for that much.

 

[z1ggy]

Same reason the families of drunk driving victims go after the assets of the driver and their family.

Besides, she does share a lot of the blame. She had a mentally disturbed child living in a home with direct access to firearms.

 

[irishScott]

Really, that nice house is only $360K?

You can't maybe buy a 1br condo here in silly valley for that much.

Location location location. My family has a split level in Fairfax County VA built in the 70s, valued at ~700k. Our house with double the square footage, dual furnaces, central vacuum, and quadruple the lot in Kennet Square PA was 470k when we moved there back in 2001 (we moved back a year later).

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Same reason the families of drunk driving victims go after the assets of the driver and their family.

Besides, she does share a lot of the blame. She had a mentally disturbed child living in a home with direct access to firearms.

Yup, pretty much this. Specifically the bolded parts

 

[Genx87]

Why bother. If that house is under water by 40K and all she has is 60K in assets. That leaves 20K potentially there for collection. Then tack on lawyer fee's ect.

 

[rudder]

Besides, she does share a lot of the blame. She had a mentally disturbed child living in a home with direct access to firearms.

Nothing else to be said. I will add though that it was a mentally disturbed child who she ignored for extended periods of time.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I see no reason not to, she had a son with access to firearms who had been diagnosed with a disorder that prohibited him from feeling pain/empathy for others. I believe she shares a decent amount of blame.
We need better mental health options for parents, also is a family member the best person to decide whether someone is dangerous?

 

[Generator]

Remember that lousy wise and beautiful woman that went down the highway the wrong way killing about 10 people? Yeah she's a saint compared to Lanza. Dig up her body and throw it in the swamp if it can add any conciliation.

 

[z1ggy]

Why bother. If that house is under water by 40K and all she has is 60K in assets. That leaves 20K potentially there for collection. Then tack on lawyer fee's ect.

I'm not sure how this works legally, but could they not just hold the home, as a collective, and wait for it's value to rise, then sell it?

Also I'd like to add, it's not like these people are going to use any money awarded to them to go on some vacation or buy a new sports car. That would a be a waste IMO. I would hope they donate the money to a foundation or charity that focuses on mental health, etc.

 

[theeedude]

Location location location. My family has a split level in Fairfax County VA built in the 70s, valued at ~700k. Our house with double the square footage, dual furnaces, central vacuum, and quadruple the lot in Kennet Square PA was 470k when we moved there back in 2001 (we moved back a year later).

Newtown CT doesn't appear to be a bad location though.

Trulia and Zillow estimates for the actual house are in the $600K range. It sold for $405K back in 1998.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/36-Yogananda-St-Sandy-Hook-CT-06482/58792802_zpid/
http://www.trulia.com/homes/Connecticut/Sandy_Hook/sold/306295-36-Yogananda-St-Sandy-Hook-CT-06482

Is $360K estimate after accounting for undesirability of the house due to its history? Seems kind of low, good deal for a non emo buyer.

 

[Genx87]

I'm not sure how this works legally, but could they not just hold the home, as a collective, and wait for it's value to rise, then sell it?

Also I'd like to add, it's not like these people are going to use any money awarded to them to go on some vacation or buy a new sports car. That would a be a waste IMO. I would hope they donate the money to a foundation or charity that focuses on mental health, etc.

I don't believe a lawsuit can change the legal posession of a property. Also it would require the people who take posession of the property to make payments on it.

 

[BUnit1701]

I don't believe a lawsuit can change the legal posession of a property. Also it would require the people who take posession of the property to make payments on it.

As well as pay to have it maintained or do so themselves.

 

[emperus]

I don't believe a lawsuit can change the legal posession of a property. Also it would require the people who take posession of the property to make payments on it.

Why not? Isn't money a possession?

 

[irishScott]

Newtown CT doesn't appear to be a bad location though.

Trulia and Zillow estimates for the actual house are in the $600K range. It sold for $405K back in 1998.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/36-Yogananda-St-Sandy-Hook-CT-06482/58792802_zpid/
http://www.trulia.com/homes/Connecticut/Sandy_Hook/sold/306295-36-Yogananda-St-Sandy-Hook-CT-06482

Is $360K estimate after accounting for undesirability of the house due to its history? Seems kind of low, good deal for a non emo buyer.

It doesn't have to be a "bad" location, there just has to be not much there. House prices are the highest where rich people gravitate. If you don't have a disproportionate amount of rich people around, housing prices drop drastically. From what I understand Newtown is a pretty ordinary place with no real significance.

 

[Wreckem]

Why not? Isn't money a possession?

The house is secured by a mortgage. Effectively her estate has $60,000. The house if sold, would barely cover the mortgage and closing costs. Its not worth the time or effort. ($60k-33%)/27 = ~$1500 per person.

 

[Fern]

I don't think anybody will be suing.

Her estate is too small to bother with. The house would probably first be sold off in a foreclosure sale, the mortgage holder getting her bank accounts to pay off any shortfall.

There will also be fees and court costs, both for the foreclosure sale and the handling of the estate. Court appointed trustees charge for their services etc.

This is most likely a non-story.

Fern

 

[Arkaign]

It doesn't have to be a "bad" location, there just has to be not much there. House prices are the highest where rich people gravitate. If you don't have a disproportionate amount of rich people around, housing prices drop drastically. From what I understand Newtown is a pretty ordinary place with no real significance.

Add to that the fact that when children die, the parents are virtually guaranteed to split up. That usually means that whomever does get to keep the house can't afford to live in it, so the house has to be sold. In a smallish community if a half dozen to a dozen niceish homes suddenly are up for sale in a 1YR period, and that community also suddenly has a stigma over it, then I can see the prices dipping not just for those homes, but property values slipping overall.

EDIT : I'm the OP now? Well gosh. Okay then. Guess we're back to timewarp times