Youngstown to settle wrongful death lawsuit for $40,000 in teen's death

The city of Youngstown is set to pay $40,000 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the mother of Landon Lockhart, a 14-year-old boy whose body was found in January 2022, nearly two months after he was reported missing.

Youngstown City Council is expected to consider legislation Wednesday to approve the settlement with LaJena Solomon, Lockhart’s mother and the administrator of his estate. Of the total settlement amount, $20,000 will be covered by the city's insurer.

Solomon filed the federal lawsuit against the city, Lt. Robert Gentile, and Officer Hannah Short of the Youngstown Police Department. The complaint alleged that police officers failed to administer protective services in a nondiscriminatory manner and that the department had a custom or policy of failing to investigate cases involving missing persons and/or children of color.

According to the lawsuit, Lockhart went missing from his mother's home on Nov. 21, 2021. Solomon reported him missing that night, but police allegedly declined to file a report until 24 hours had passed, classifying him as a "runaway" rather than a "missing child." The lawsuit claims this classification hampered efforts to locate him, including the inability to issue an AMBER Alert or garner significant media attention.

The complaint further alleged that officers refused to use available resources, such as tracking Lockhart’s cell phone or Apple Watch, and declined to subpoena his location data from Apple, despite requests from his family. Lt. Gentile is accused in the lawsuit of stating that subpoenaing Landon's location data was "a waste of taxpayer dollars."

Lockhart's body was discovered in a wooded area on Jan. 13, 2022, and his death was ruled a homicide. Three teenagers were later charged and convicted in his murder. The lawsuit asserts that Lockhart died on or about Dec. 22, 2021, approximately one month after his disappearance.

The lawsuit cited other missing persons cases involving white females in Youngstown, including Amy Hambrick and Whitnee Bender, to argue that those investigations received more prompt and extensive police attention compared to Lockhart's case.

The city maintains the settlement is not an admission of liability in the case.

Federal court records indicate that Solomon agreed to dismiss the matter within 48 hours after finalization of the agreement.