#AuntFromHell Jennifer Connell Loses Case: 8-Year-Old Nephew Sued By Aunt For $127,000 — Now 12, Sean Tarala Wins Case


By now plenty of online readers have heard about the case of Jennifer Connell, as reported by the Inquisitr, not to be confused with popular actress Jennifer Connelly, whose name Google keeps offering up as a corrected spelling. No, this 54-year-old Connell has been dubbed as the world’s worst aunt after the trial that Jennifer launched against her own nephew went viral.

Connell sued her own nephew — Sean Tarala — a boy who was a mere 8-year-old when he jumped into his Aunt Jennifer’s arms because he was so excited to see Connell arrive at his eighth birthday party. According to CT Post, that lawsuit for $127,000 that Jennifer filed strictly against Sean, and not his father Michael, was unsuccessful. The jury quickly ruled against the “worst aunt of the Internet,” and weren’t too keen to be interviewed about their verdict — as Connell begged for protection as she was escorted to her car. Throughout most of the two-day trial, Jennifer kept a sly smile on her face.

suing nephew
Jennifer Connell

Although the trial lasted two days, the jury only needed 20 minutes to decide that Connell wasn’t getting her $127,000 out of the boy. Jennifer wasn’t getting one red nickel out of her own nephew, the six jurors decided when they ruled against Connell for her civil claim.

Jennifer Connell
The #AuntFromHell loses case against nephew

Jennifer’s actions against her nephew Sean have earned her the #AuntFromHell hashtag on Twitter. Most folks tweeting about the case that Connell brought against her nephew can’t believe that the actions of an excited 8-year-old boy when he jumped into his aunt’s arms and they both toppled over would land him in court as a confused 12-year-old.

Coupled with the fact that Sean’s mother Lisa died, Connell’s lawsuit actions were viewed as even more heinous. As for the jurors’ rationale for awarding Jennifer with nothing, they explained that the boy’s actions weren’t irresponsible.

“We just didn’t think the boy was negligent.”

Originally filed in 2013, the lawsuit named 12-year-old Sean as the only defendant. And jurors were taught to view the 12-year-old as the child that he was (and still is) when the event occurred. Therefore, looking at the child as a little kid and not a as reasonable person, the jurors decided that his actions were in line with an 8-year-old child who was happy to see his aunt.

Judge Edward Stodolink asked the six members of the jury to think about what any prudent 8-year-old would do upon seeing an aunt they loved. Oddly enough, Connell’s rationale for filing a lawsuit against a nephew that she called kind and sensitive was to teach the boy a lesson. Jennifer is a human resources manager — again, an odd plot twist because that position would seemingly necessitate empathy and compassion for other humans.

The event originally occurred on March 18, 2011. That’s when Connell traveled to Westport for her nephew’s birthday party, and fell to the floor when Sean saw Jennifer and began to express how much he loved his Auntie Jen. There’s no word on what Sean now thinks about the #AuntFromHell Twitter hashtag, but the lawsuit surely has placed a strain on familial relationships.

“It was his birthday party and I didn’t want to upset him.”

About the pain suffered from her wrist injury, Connell said that she kept them secret from her nephew on his birthday in order not to ruin his party. However, Jennifer didn’t gain much public sympathy when she said that the pain made it difficult to hold a plate of hor d’oeuvres.

“I live in Manhattan in a third-floor walkup so it has been very difficult. And we all know how crowded it is in Manhattan.”

[Image via Twitter]

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