A woman threatening to take brother to court over $30k engagement ringbacked. This man has been chastised on social media for refusing to repay the cost of his sister's engagement ring, which fell into the hands of his two young children.
Woman Threatens Legal Action Against Brother Over Flushed Engagement Ring
The $30,000 engagement ring was flushed down the toilet by her two nephews, ages 4 and 8, according to a distraught woman who posted on Reddit under the username u/throwaway1846189.
According to the 2021 WeddingWire Newlywed Report, the value of this poster's engagement ring is significantly higher than the national average. Most engagement ringscost around $5,500 on average.
How Much Should I Be Spending On An Engagement Ring?
However, 18% of those polled spent more than $10,000 on the engagement ring, indicating that prices can vary greatly.
The Reddit user explained that because she rarely wore the ring around the house, she kept it in her closet for special occasions. However, while the rest of the family was at the house for dinner, the two nephews went upstairs to cause mischief.
According to the post, the brother "was not supervising his kids," which had disastrous results.
Reddit said:
“„My nephews went into the master bedroom without anyone knowing and started playing with everything. Including my engagement ring. When we arrived to look for them, they panicked because they knew they shouldn't be upstairs, ran into the master bathroom, and flushed my ring.- Reddit post
Because the uninsured jewelrywas lost due to the two boys, the Redditor sent her brother a receipt for the ring and asked him to reimburse her. He "refused to repay the cost," however.
"I told him I will be taking him to court for this, and now my entire family is blowing up my phone saying family shouldn't sue each other and just let it go."
Even on a monthly repayment plan, the poster is skeptical of her brother's claim that he "does not have the moneyto repay" the cost. She is considering hiring a private investigator to learn the truth about his finances because she is "so distraught" by the experience.
According to Marina Shepelsky, legal expert and founder of the Shepelsky Law Group, parents are liable for any damage caused by their children. She explained:
“„American law holds parents responsible for the actions of their children. It's an established fact. Different states have different laws about parents' liabilities for their children's deeds. Parental responsibility laws exist in every state in some form. These statutes cover the legal consequences of damage or injury inflicted by a minor or child, on a person, place, or thing.- Marina Shepelsky
While the specifics of the incident vary by state, in some cases, parents can be held "financially responsible" for the damage their child causes.
Shepelsky went on to say: "Damages caused by young children should be the liability of a parent. The brother is liable for the ring flushed down the toilet as it seems, but it depends on what state it took place in."
Since it was shared on Reddit on April 13, the post has received over 16,400 votes and over 2,900 comments.
Many commenters supported the poster's demand that the ring be compensated, though many questioned why such an expensive piece of jewelry was not insured.
According to one comment: "His circus, his monkeys. He wasn't watching them, that's on him. 100% he should replace your ring."
Another individual wrote:
“„Why wouldn't you insure a 30K ring? Why wouldn't you ask your partner if they insured it? If you're taking it off long-term, why wasn't it in a lockbox? An 8-year-old knows not to flush diamonds.- Reddit user