The widowed husband of a Florida mother who was struck by lightning and killed while picking up her two young daughters is suing the local school board, alleging they played a role in her death.
Nicole Tedesco, 41, was killed while picking up her daughters, Ava, 10, and Gia, eight, from Keeth Elementary School in Winter Springs, northeast of Orlando, in August 2022.
The lightning injured their daughter Ava, the family dog and an 18-year-old woman, but it was Nicole who sadly lost her life in the sudden storm.
Her widower, Orlando Sanford Airport Police Officer Andrew Tedesco, is suing the Seminole County School Board, accusing it of failing to provide a safe area for parents to wait while the storm passed.
Winter Springs Police Chief Matthew Tracht said at the time that conditions changed quickly and without warning.
“This storm came at us quickly… There were no watches, no severe weather watches, that came in and said, ‘Hey, the storm is coming,'” he said.
‘It was, “Bang!” – it’s that simple. It rained a little, there was lightning and then everything was pure chaos.’
Orlando Sanford Airport Police Officer Andrew Tedesco is suing a Florida school board after his wife, Nicole, died after being struck by lightning. They appear in the photo with his two daughters, Ava, 10, and Gia, 8.
Ava, 10, and Gia, 8, were being picked up by their mother at elementary school when she was struck by lightning. Ava was also hit but survived.
The family dog, Vito, was also injured during the lightning strike, but managed to pull through.
Investigators believe a tree the victims were standing next to was struck by lightning, and those near it were injured when the lightning energized the area.
According to the complaint, her daughters “were approaching their mother” when lightning struck, killing Nicole and allegedly “seriously” injuring the girls and the family dog.
The lawsuit accuses the school district of failing to recognize the climate threat or provide adequate safety measures. They also failed to warn others about the danger, leading to Tedesco’s death.
“Specifically, (the) school board forces parents to wait outside for their children during dismissal, in an area that is not protected from rain, thunderstorms, and other extreme weather conditions,” the lawsuit reads. “There is no protection available against the elements.”
It also states that the incident occurred at a time of year “where heavy rain, thunderstorms and specifically lightning can occur at any time”, and suggests that lightning “was a foreseeable risk for parents who had to wait for their young children during the exit”.
Investigators believe a tree the victims were standing next to was struck by lightning and those near it were injured as the area was filled with energy.
The school board is accused of negligence and failing to recognize the “clear and present danger” and “creating a dangerous condition” at the site.
At the time, the school said safety procedures were in place.
“Seminole County Public Schools and Keeth Elementary School remain committed to the safety of all students and will continue to take safety precautions in the event of inclement weather,” Seminole County Public Schools said in a statement.
The school board is accused of negligence and failing to recognize the “clear and present danger” and “creating a dangerous condition” at the site.
The lawsuit argues that the school board “had a legal duty” to Nicole and her family “to exercise reasonable care for her safety while she was lawfully on the property.”
According to the Seminole County Fire Department, Nicole Tedesco and Ava were taken to the hospital, where Nicole died shortly after. The family dog was also transported to an animal clinic, but survived.
Nicole Tesesco had been picking up her two young daughters from Keeth Elementary School.
Andrew Tedesco is now seeking more than $50,000 in damages from the school board.
TO GoFundMe has raised nearly $80,000 for the family.
Nicole “was a beloved preschool and Sunday school teacher” who was “loved deeply by everyone she knew,” her obituary reads.
She was remembered for having “a sweet, gentle soul with a discerning eye and a rare ability to add her special touch to the lives of her friends and family.”
“She was the best mother a child could ask for,” her daughter Ava wrote.