In 2020, 18-year old Brandon Chambers drowned while swimming in Lake Michigan at South Beach in South Haven. After the incident, Chambers’ estate filed a lawsuit against the city alleging it ignored dangerous weather conditions and failed to post red flags.
The city claimed immunity from liability due to the fact that local governments are generally immune from liability in these cases if carrying out public services — except when that service involved profit for the city.
That claim was initially denied by a Van Buren County Circuit Court judge in early 2024, who cited evidence the city had profited from beach revenue.
But a recent ruling from the Michigan Court of Appeals cleared the city of liability. It found South Haven had not profited from beach revenue, but rather used it for other government-related projects.
A lawyer with the Michigan Municipal League called the decision “good news” for local governments. But there's still another similar lawsuit pending against the city of South Haven.
That case involves the 2022 drowning deaths of 19-year-old Emily MacDonald and 22-year-old Kory Ernster at South Beach and is currently going through the appeals process.
As for Chambers' case, the suit has officially been dismissed, but a lawyer for Chambers’ estate told the Capital News Service they will ask the Michigan Supreme Court to review it.
