Trial set for fire pit case

June Casagrande

A trial is scheduled to begin June 23 in the case of a toddler

injured in a fire pit in 2001 at Corona del Mar State Beach.

The family of Makayla Janda is suing the city for an unspecified

amount, arguing that the then-3-year-old suffered serious, permanent

physical and mental injuries as a result of the city’s negligence,

and that parents Timothy and Stacey Janda suffered severe emotional

distress.

According to the lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court,

the girl “suffered severe burns to her body, resulting in permanent

and disfiguring scarring, severe emotional and mental distress, past

and future medical specialists and future loss of earnings and

earning capacity.”

Attorneys for the Riverside family could not be reached on

Tuesday.

City officials say the city is not at fault.

“We’re arguing these fire rings aren’t dangerous if you use due

care,” Deputy City Atty. Dan Ohl said.

City Manager Homer Bludau said the city’s safety obligations

include posting warnings signs, but that responsibility for

children’s safety lies with the family.

“I think the city’s position is that there are some inherent risks

in the fire rings at the beach and the city does all it can to inform

the users of the beach of those risks, and people who pay attention

to that information are going to be able to use the fire rings

happily and successfully.”

Corona del Mar State Beach has about 32 of the fire rings, which

are cement circles in the sand where visitors often light fires or

burn charcoal for toasting hot dogs and marshmallows. The beach is

state property, but the city is responsible for maintaining it.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.