Stricken Florida family sues elementary school after mom, 41, was struck and killed by LIGHTNING while picking up two young daughters from class

The widow of a Florida mother who was struck by lightning and killed while picking up her two young daughters is suing the local school board, claiming they played a role in her death.

Nicole Tedesco, 41, was killed as she picked up her little girls, 10-year-old Ava and eight-year-old Gia, from Keeth Elementary School in Winter Springs, northeast of Orlando, in August 2022.

The lightning bolt injured her daughter, Ava, and the family dog, along with 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 now suing the Seminole County School Board, accusing them of failing to provide parents with a safe place to wait while the storm passes.

Winter Springs Police Chief Matthew Tracht said at the time that conditions changed quickly and without warning.

“This storm came over us quickly… There were no warnings, no severe weather warnings, coming in and saying, ‘Hey, the storm is coming,'” he said.

“It was, ‘Bang!’ – just like that. There was a little bit of rain, lightning and then it was pure chaos.”

10-year-old Ava and 8-year-old Gia were being picked up from their primary school by their mother when she was struck by lightning. Ava was also hit, but she survived

The family dog, Vito, was also injured in the lightning strike, but managed to pull through

Investigators believe a tree the victims were standing near was struck by lightning, and those standing near it were injured when lightning energized the area.

According to the complaint, her daughters were “approaching their mother” when lightning struck, killing Nicole and “severely” injuring the girls and the family dog.

The lawsuit accuses the school district of failing to recognize the weather threat or take proper safety measures. They also failed to warn others of the danger, which resulted in Tedesco’s death.

“Specifically, (the) school board has parents wait outside for their children during dismissal in an area unprotected from rain, thunderstorms and other extreme weather,” the lawsuit reads. ‘There is no protection available from the elements.’

It also notes how the incident occurred at a time of year ‘where heavy rain, thunderstorms and in particular lightning can occur at short notice’, and suggests that lightning was ‘a foreseeable risk to the parents who had to wait for their young children to be discharged.

Investigators believe a tree the victims were standing near was struck by lightning and people standing near it were injured when the area became energized.

The school board is accused of negligence and failing to recognize the ‘clear and present danger’ and ‘creating a dangerous situation’ on site

The school said at the time that safety procedures were in place.

“Seminole County Public Schools and Keeth Elementary School remain committed to the safety and security of all students and will continue to implement safety measures 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” on site.

The lawsuit argues that the school board had “a legal duty” to Nicole and her family “to take reasonable care for her safety while she was lawfully on the premises.”

According to the Seminole County Fire Department, Nicole Tedesco and Ava were taken to the hospital, where Nicole died shortly after. Their family dog ​​was also transported to a veterinary clinic but survived.

Nicole Tesesco had picked up her two young daughters from Keeth Elementary School

Andrew Tedesco is now seeking more than $50,000 in damages from the school plate.

a GoFundMe has raised nearly $80,000 for the family.

Nicole “was a beloved kindergarten and Sunday school teacher” who was “deeply loved by everyone she met,” her obituary said.

She was remembered as having “a sweet, gentle soul with a keen eye and the 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,” daughter Ava wrote.