Susan Cox Powell's parents awarded $98 million in lawsuit over deaths of grandchildren
(KUTV) — The state of Washington was found negligent in the deaths of Charlie and Braden Powell, Susan Cox Powell's sons, on Friday.
A jury found that negligence was the cause of the children's deaths at the hands of their father, Josh Powell.
The kids were at Josh Powell's house in 2012 when he torched the home, killing himself and the boys. At the time, Josh Powell was under investigation for the disappearance of his wife.
As part of the verdict, jurors in Washington awarded $98 million to the estates of the two boys, Charlie and Braden.
After the verdict, Chuck Cox said:
“Nothing can bring back the boys, but this is the end of a nightmare, and it's gratifying to hear a jury tell the state they were wrong, and to award a verdict that will force them to change the culture at DHS to make sure this doesn’t happen to other children in the future.”
The trial was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, but resumed on July 16.
“We faced so many legal obstacles to get to trial, and then the extraordinary circumstances of trying the case in the midst of a pandemic, we are so gratified by the jury’s verdict and their commitment to justice," said Anne Bremner, an attorney for the Cox family.
Timeline: What we know in the 10 years since Susan Cox Powell went missing
Powell went missing from her home in West Valley City in 2009. Her case remains unsolved, but many suspect she was murdered by her husband. Her remains have never been found.
2News interviewed Chuck Cox last year, 3,650 days since his daughter went missing. You can watch that interview here.
