CNN.com wrote:DURANGO, Colorado (AP) -- Two teenage girls who surprised their neighbors with homemade cookies late one night were ordered to pay nearly $900 in medical bills for a woman who says she was so startled that she had to go to the hospital.
Judge Doug Walker declined Thursday to award punitive damages, saying he did not believe the girls acted maliciously.
Taylor Ostergaard, 17, and Lindsey Jo Zellitti, 18, baked the chocolate chip and sugar cookies one night last July.
They made packages with a half-dozen cookies each and added large red or pink construction-paper hearts that carried the message, "Have a great night."
The notes were signed with their first initials: "Love, The T and L Club."
Then they set off to make their deliveries.
Wanita Renea Young, 49, said she was at her rural home south of Durango around 10:30 p.m. when she said saw "shadowy figures" outside the house banging repeatedly on her door.
She yelled, "Who's there?" but no one answered, and the figures ran away.
Frightened, she spent the night at her sister's home, then went to the hospital the next morning because she was still shaking and had an upset stomach.
The teenagers' families offered to pay Young's medical bills, but she declined and sued, saying their apologies were not sincere and were not offered in person.
The girls declined comment after the ruling. Taylor's mother said the girl "cried and cried."
"She felt she was being punished for doing something nice," Jill Ostergaard said.
Young said the teenagers showed "very poor judgment"
"The victory wasn't sweet," Young said. "I'm not gloating about it. I just hope the girls learned a lesson."
The teens said they did not answer when the woman called out because they wanted the treats to be a surprise.
JTWood wrote:Judge Doug Walker declined Thursday to award punitive damages, saying he did not believe the girls acted maliciously.
JTWood wrote:"The victory wasn't sweet but those cookies sure were tasty," Young said. "I'm not gloating about it. I just hope the girls learned a lesson."
What kind of lesson was she hoping to teach these sweet girls when she sued for punitive damages, too? I just hope her legal fees were more than $900. That would be justice.
Wow, what can I say except I hate hearing about greedy people and stupid law suits. I mean the parents offered to pay the med bills, yet Young still wanted more. I can't stand selfish people who look to capitalize on someone's kindness.
Oh, and the lesson learned might be not to do kind and thoughtful acts towards neighbors. Either that or next time lace the cookies with some hash so that the recipient doesn't get too hyper over it.
I mean if two teenagers broguht cookies to my house...I would sue for a whole lot more than $900....
[b]Useless Trivia of the day[/b]
England's Worcester Canoe Club set the world record for paddling a hand-propelled bathtub. The 25 man team covered a distance of 55 miles, 425 yards in 24 hours on September 28 and 29, 1979.
Wanita Renea Young is a bitter, miserable person. I'm glad this story got national play. Hopefully Ms. Young feels now feels humiliated. $900 isn't enough money to expose your shallowness to a nation.
By the way, what the frik was Judge Doug Walker thinking
in ordering the girls' families to pay this witch's "medical bills"? Shame on him too.
Thanks for sharing this, JTWood. Hopefully folks will be moved in the future NOT to act like Wanita.
Did they give her home address? Shes going to get something better than cookies in the mail... *cough LETTERBOMB cough*. I hate people like this who think they can take advantage of Americas legal system for a quick buck. Scared? Man up, how can you get 900 bucks in medical bills for an upset stomach? Grow a friggin pair, lady.
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by JTWood » Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:38 am 
