Parents of Toddler Who Died After Falling into Septic Tank Sue Campground, Others

ERMA – The parents of a toddler who died after falling into a septic tank at an Erma campground have filed a lawsuit against those they say are responsible, NJ.com reports. 
Emma Davidson, 3, was playing with other children near her family’s campsite at Sun Outdoors Cape May, in Erma, before 9:30 p.m. April 3, when she stepped onto an unsecured septic tank lid and fell 10 feet into the sewage-filled pit below, per a police report obtained by NJ.com. 
She was pulled from the tank and transported to Cape Regional Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead, according to a previous police release.  
State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) inspectors visited the site four days after Emma’s death and discovered multiple violations, including numerous unsecured sewage tank lids that weren’t bolted or screwed down, contrary to state regulations, according to NJ.com. 
The lawsuit, filed by Scott and Ashley Davidson, of Maurice River Township, alleges other incidents involving septic tank lids at Sun Outdoors Cape May, including other patrons almost falling into septic tanks and other patrons’ pets falling into them. 
They accuse the company, Sun Communities Inc., of engaging “in a repeated pattern and practice of not securing” septic tank lids. 
Sun Communities June 24 told NJ.com that serious accidents are “extremely rare” because the company has “a longstanding and rigorous program of safety inspections and maintenance at all of our properties.” They explained the steps they’ve taken since the Erma incident, including re-inspecting all septic tanks, installing additional safety fencing and applying redundant inserts to further block access. 
The company also said it engaged an independent engineering firm to perform an additional assessment of their facilities in New Jersey, and a third-party expert is conducting follow-up inspections.   
Sun Communities Inc., Sun RV Resorts, Sun Outdoors Cape May and its limited liability corporation, Sun Lake Laurie RV, Kampgrounds of America and Cape May KOA, which previously operated at the campground site, have been named defendants in the suit.  
The suit also accuses the DEP and Environmental and Technical Services LLC, which allegedly inspected at least some of the systems at the campground, of not ensuring the septic system was safe, per the report. 
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