The family of a teenage girl who stole a police vehicle is suing the sheriff's office for failure to keep her safe while she was in protective custody.

According to news reports, Samaria Gray, sixteen years old at the time, was intoxicated and wandering the streets. Her mother, Georgina Pierce, had contacted the police and a sheriff's deputy found Samaria asleep on the side of the road, placing her in protective custody in the back seat of his patrol car. While the sheriff's deputy went up to the home to speak with her mother, Samaria got into the front seat and drove off. Before crashing the vehicle into a ravine, Samaria sped through the streets, hitting three cars, resulting in injuries to herself and one other driver.

The complaint charges that the sheriff's office had a duty to train the officer to secure his vehicle and not leave the keys in the ignition. The family is seeking an unspecified amount of damages for Samaria and her mother, including attorneys fees and litigation costs. In the lawsuit, the family alleges negligent infliction of emotional distress, loss of consortium and negligence resulting in personal injury/battery.

Samaria was charged with unlawful taking of a vehicle, aggravated DWI with bodily injury, reckless driving and no driver's license. She pled no contest to some of the charges and was sentenced to a term of probation not to exceed one year. San Juan County argues that it is not liable for the actions of the plaintiff.

—Source: daily-times.com