Donna Dawley filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the makers of popular social media giants Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook after her son, Christopher Dawley, committed suicide at age 17.

The Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc.

The Court: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin

The Case No.: 2:22-CV-00444

Plaintiff in the Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc et al

The plaintiff in the case, Donna Dawley, filed a personal injury lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc. and Snap, Inc.("Defendants"), seeking monetary damages and other reliefs after her 17-year-old son's suicide. Dawley claims her son's death was caused by the Defendants' promotion of harmful content and that Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat are created to be used by minors and actively marketed to children like her son throughout the U.S. In the lawsuit. Dawley also claimed that the defendants are aware of the large number of minors under 13 years of age who use their platforms despite rules, terms, and agreements they claim they put in place to restrict use by children under age 13. Additionally, Dawley alleges that the defendants actively encourage advertisers to create ads targeting teenagers and children under 13 years of age.

Defendant in the Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc et al

The defendants in the case face allegations that they knowingly designed and marketed social media products that were intentionally and dangerously addictive to minors despite the knowledge that the use of the products is known to cause mental and physical harm to minor social media users.

The Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc et al

In 2012 CJ joined Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. Over the next two years, CJ developed an addiction to social platforms, communicating at all hours of the night. His constant use of social media resulted in sleep deprivation, increased obsession with body image, etc. While CJ never showed outward signs of depression or mental depression, he went to his room on January 4, 2015, while his family was taking down Christmas decorations, texted his friend, posted on Facebook, and wrote a note to his family, and then shot himself (while holding his smartphone in his other hand). CJ's suicide led his parents, Chris and Donna Dawley, to sue some of the world's wealthiest, most powerful corporations. A risky, challenging, and potentially painful endeavor, the Dawleys seek to hold the companies responsible for exposing children to toxic products.

If you have questions about how to file a wrongful death lawsuit, don't hesitate to get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced wrongful death attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.