College student sues sorority and landlord over fall from window

A Northeastern University student and her parents are suing a sorority, its president and a landlord after the student fell from a window and suffered serious injuries at a party.

Sarah Cox, then a junior at Boston University and a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, fell from a window at a party in March 2023, according to court records. The filing states that the kitchen of the apartment where the party was taking place was crowded and that Cox fell at least 20 feet (6 meters) to a walkway below.

Cox’s injuries are “catastrophic” and he will require “one-on-one care 24 hours a day, seven days a week on an ongoing basis,” the lawsuit states. Cox and her parents are seeking $10.2 million in their lawsuit, The Boston Globe reported.

The suit, which was filed in a Massachusetts court in March, says the defendants were negligent by failing to take steps to prevent the fall and injuries. The landlord failed to prevent tenants from allowing too many people in at one time, and the sorority chapter president should have known alcohol was being consumed at the party and that it could create unsafe conditions, court documents say.

“As a direct and immediate result of this defendant’s breach of these obligations, the plaintiff, Sarah Cox, suffered catastrophic and permanent injuries and continues to suffer such permanent and catastrophic injuries,” the documents state.

James Kelly, the attorney listed in Cox’s lawsuit, did not respond to requests for comment. Attorneys for the defendants also did not respond to requests for comment.

The defendants move to dismiss the suit. The case is due back in court next month, the Globe reported.

Defense attorneys wrote in court papers that the Coxes have not said how or why she fell from the window and that they have no evidence to prove negligence.

“Plaintiffs allege only that all defendants were in some way responsible for the multitude of alleged conduct, without any allegation as to what actually caused the fall,” attorneys William Eveland and Ellen Mannion wrote in court filings in June .

The lawsuit states that the fraternity used the apartment as a sorority house and that Cox was a member of the sorority. The process names both the national community and the Northeastern University chapter.

A GoFundMe set up in Cox’s name had raised nearly $130,000 of its $150,000 goal as of Wednesday. The GoFundMe states Sarah hoped to become a doctor and had just returned from her third international medical mission trip, which was dedicated to helping people with limited access to medical care.

The GoFundMe says it was set up by Cox’s brother, Syed Ali, who wrote that the money raised will be used for medical expenses and long-term rehabilitation.

“She has a long road to recovery, but we pray she gets through this and gets back on track to her life’s goal of helping others,” Ali wrote.

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