A 6-year-old Maryland girl was left critically brain-damaged and incapacitated after being electrocuted at an MGM hotel earlier this year—and her family’s attorney said the resort mogul hasn’t offered to help monetarily, according to reports.
CBS Baltimore reports that Zynae Green was visiting MGM National Harbor hotel in Oxon Hill with her family on June 26 when the nightmare unfolded. As the little girl admired a lit-up water fountain, she apparently touched a railing when she was “jolted” by 120 volts of electricity—which was ”10 times the amount needed to power the handrail lighting,” according to the media outlet.
When Zynae’s mother, Rydricka Rosier, and a security guard jumped in to try and rescue the girl, they were also zapped, CBS Baltimore reports, citing a lawsuit scheduled to be filed today. The child then went into cardiac arrest—but the hotel reportedly failed to have a defibrillator on hand that could’ve potentially helped the dire situation.
After being taken to a local hospital, Zynae was eventually transferred to another medical center where she is still being tended to today, according to the news station, who said the jolt left the child unable to “walk or talk.”
An attorney for the family, Benedict Morelli, told the New York Post that the electrocution caused the child to endure “anoxic brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen,” adding that “she remains in a semi-vegetative state.”
“From what we know medically, she will never recover,” Morelli stated.
While the lawyer reportedly said MGM hasn’t reached out to help with Zynae’s medical expenses, a spokesperson for the hotel chain told the newspaper that it isn’t the case—and further “blamed the contractor” that installed the electrical portion of the rail.
An investigation by the county reportedly revealed that “faulty wiring” was to blame for the tragedy. Further, the family’s attorney said MGM rushed to open the hotel, whose doors opened to the public in 2016.
“The incident at National Harbor was a tragic accident, and we are all heartbroken that Zynae Green and her family continue to suffer,’’ an MGM representative told the Post. “We are committed to continue working with the family’s representative to reach a resolution.”
In a heart-wrenching post to Facebook yesterday, Zynae’s mother shared a video showing the family celebrating the little girl’s birthday. The child looked on as loved ones sang to her while she sat in a medical chair, where she appeared unable to move her body or even form a smile.
“Five months since MGM did this to our family and still no help from them 😖,” Rosier wrote. “Our Zy Zy is a fighter but she needs help Please continue to pray and share this video. We love you all #TeamZynae.”
This is a developing story. Check back with CrimeOnline for the latest updates.
[Feature Photo: Zynae Green, Facebook/Screengrab]
