In the summer of 2015, 21-year-old Edenilson Steven Valle was found dead in Demi Moore's pool. Authorities determined that he had drowned during a small party at her house, which she wasn't home for, and that it was an accident.
Valle's parents filed a $25,000 lawsuit against the person who organized the party, Moore's assistant, and the property owner, Tree House Trust. Last month, they added Moore to it, claiming that the lack of signs indicating the pool's depth, the rocks around the pool, its alleged 101-degree temperature, and the presence of alcohol contributed to the accident. But in court documents just obtained by People, Moore's lawyer has responded to these accusations, saying Valle was "unlawfully" at Moore's house and therefore was responsible for his own death.
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Valle's friends found him in the pool's deep end after they noticed he was missing for 10-15 minutes, The New York Daily News reports. They said he never learned to swim. Someone called 911 and paramedics tried to give him CPR, but he didn't respond.
Valle was working for the skater brand JSLV before his death. His friend Gabby Ventura told The Daily News that "everyone loved him." She added that he "was a big part of my life in high school. He was just really talented and smart. He had a lot of goals. He wanted to be an artist and a businessman."
"I am in absolute shock," Moore said in a statement provided to Refinery29 after the drowning took place. "I was out of the country traveling to meet my daughters for a birthday celebration when I got the devastating news. The loss of a child is an unthinkable tragedy, and my heart goes out to this young man's family and friends. I ask that you please respect the privacy of all concerned during this sensitive time."
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