A Michigan mother described her life as "hell on Earth" nearly ten years after her three-year-old daughter was killed in a tragic gymnasium accident, compounded by the subsequent theft of her $2.5 million settlement by her attorney.
Lilliana Kerr died in January 2017 when a 350-pound table fell on her while she was playing in the St. Albert the Great Catholic Church gymnasium in Dearborn Heights. Her mother, Tabatha Kerr, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the school and was awarded a settlement.
However, Tabatha Kerr stated she never received her family's portion of the settlement funds, which remained with her attorney, Gregory Rohl. Rohl was disbarred on October 1 following a formal complaint alleging misappropriation and failure to distribute court-ordered funds. He pleaded no contest to the charges.
A notice of disbarment and restitution revealed that Rohl allegedly used the funds for unrelated purposes, failed to release the children's shares despite court orders, and made false statements regarding his handling of the settlement money. He has been ordered to pay $659,821.44 in restitution, plus additional costs.
Rohl, who is recovering from a stroke, claims he did not knowingly take the money. He stated that his "now deceased partner and office manager" handled the finances for the case and that he trusted that individual. He expressed that the situation is a "true tragedy" that cost him his 40-year law career.
"I have never knowingly taken any monies from any client ever, but the account was in my name making me ultimately responsible for any loss," Rohl said in a statement. "I wish only the best for Tabitha and her family. Lillian’s loss was horrific and this nightmare just compounds their loss."
Beyond the legal battle for the stolen funds, Tabatha Kerr has become an advocate for child safety in schools. After her daughter's death, she initiated a campaign for "Lilliana's Law," proposed legislation aimed at improving school safety and preventing accidents involving dangerous equipment.
She has been a proponent of Michigan House Bill No. 4167, which focuses on identifying and addressing risks associated with outdated furniture and equipment in educational facilities. Tabatha noted on the Lilliana's Law website that the table which caused her daughter's death was supposed to have been removed in 2007 but was never taken out of service.
Kerr has collected over 32,000 signatures on a Change.org petition to encourage lawmakers to pass the bill. She has also compiled a 510-page research book on the risks children face in schools across the United States.
"We don’t know the needs and the conditions of our schools. We can hopefully create an adequate framework to address the cause and effect of the dangers of our schools and what our children are facing to minimize the harm and the loss our children and our families have been facing," she told Click on Detroit.
Lilliana Kerr is survived by her mother, her older brother Jayden, 19, and her twin sister Tieranie, now 13.