The stepchildren of the woman killed in a Malibu car crash involving Caitlyn Jenner have fired back at claims that they weren’t dependent on the victim, according to legal document obtained by TheWrap.
In papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Dana Redmond and William Howe, the stepchildren of Kim Howe, blast the assertion that they aren’t entitled to damages in Howe’s death.
Jenner’s team sought to shut down a lawsuit brought by Redmond and Howe, claiming that the pair weren’t reliant on the victim.
“”[T]hese two plaintiffs are financially independent, successful adult stepchildren, ages 57 and 60, who have lived out-of-state in Maine and New York for decades — and who were not financially dependent on the decedent for ‘the necessities of life,’” an answer to the lawsuit filed by Jenner’s team read.
The answer, filed in late May, continued, “In a wrongful death case, it is not sufficient merely to allege the conclusion that a person is dependent upon the decedent.”
The court document filed by Redmond and Howe contends otherwise.
“Without any knowledge about the relationship between Ms. Howe and her stepchildren of more than 40 years, Mr. Jenner [the document was filed prior to Jenner adopting her new identity as Caitlyn] makes bald assertions about their relationship,” the document reads. “Stepchildren can be just as much children to their parents. And, the mere fact that family members live in different parts of the country does not preclude them from having a real relationship or from being financially dependent upon one another.”
In their suit, Howe and Redmond allege that Jenner was “careless and negligent” in the crash, which occurred in Malibu, Calif., in February. Their suit alleges that Jenner’s vehicle hit Howe’s car, pushing it into oncoming traffic. According to the suit, Howe’s death “caused plaintiffs to suffer enormous damages and losses.”
Howe and Redmond are seeking unspecified damages.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.