Two years after their 15-year-old daughter, Jenna, died on a compulsory school trip to the Maldives, her parents are pursuing a negligence claim against her Singaporean international school, St. Joseph's Institution International Ltd (SJII).
Jennifer Liauw and Alan Chan received a call on November 8, 2024, informing them of their daughter's death after she was struck by a boat propeller while snorkeling. The couple claims they have not received satisfactory answers about the circumstances of the accident and allege that the school's response has been inadequate and insensitive.
"We trusted the school and the information we were given," the parents stated, noting they had conducted their own risk assessment before choosing the Maldives trip from 12 options. They emphasized that the expedition was mandatory for Jenna.
The incident occurred while Jenna was snorkeling with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP). According to the parents' lawsuit, MWSRP guides were allegedly away from the boat checking on a dolphin when the boat's engine was engaged, and Jenna was struck by the propeller. Their claim alleges that guides failed to provide adequate supervision and timely assistance, and that the boat lacked proper safety equipment and emergency procedures.
The parents also accuse the school of failing to properly vet the Maldives as a destination, citing a documented pattern of marine tourism fatalities in the area, including a similar propeller incident the year prior. They allege that SJII assured parents of comprehensive safety measures, which they claim were not in place.
A particularly distressing moment for the parents was receiving a routine daily email update from the school about the trip, complete with a photograph of Jenna from the morning of the incident, shortly after being informed of her death. "We hadn't even had time to process what had happened, and then this routine update arrived as though everything was normal," Mrs. Liauw said, describing it as "another stab in the heart."
Further compounding their distress, the parents learned that some other parents were informed of Jenna's death approximately 45 minutes before they were, reportedly due to students using secondary phones to contact their families. They also claim the school's chief operating officer appointed himself as their main point of contact without their agreement.
SJII's CEO, Dr. Michael Johnston, stated that the school denies the allegations and is defending the claim. The school maintains that the incident was caused by the boat captain's action of reversing the vessel after Jenna had entered the water. SJII has filed a third-party notice against MWSRP, seeking indemnity for any liability, and asserts it is not liable for MWSRP's negligence. Dr. Johnston added that the school denies withholding information and has reached out to Jenna's parents multiple times, remaining open to meeting with them.
The parents have also expressed frustration with the lack of official investigation, with authorities in Singapore and the UK indicating that a coroner's investigation could not take place due to the location of the death. Singapore's Ministry of Education stated the matter was outside its remit as SJII is a private institution.
"Everybody says it is outside their scope, and consequently, nobody actually does anything," the parents said, advocating for greater independent oversight of schools' responsibilities for students on compulsory overseas activities.
Their motivation for pursuing legal action is to establish what happened and to help prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies. "Nothing can bring Jenna back, but if this is genuinely the legal position, then it needs to form part of a parent's decision-making process," they stated. The couple described their ongoing grief as devastating, with Jenna's bedroom remaining untouched in their home.
