Death of child in lift at Argenteuil: technician sentenced to 18 months suspended
A technician and two companies have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter following the death of Ismaïl, aged 4, in a lift at Argenteuil in 2018.
Convictions following Ismaïl's death in shopping centre lift
The Pontoise magistrates' court delivered its ruling on Wednesday 2 September: Jean-Marc H., a 67-year-old technician, has been sentenced to 18 months' suspended prison for involuntary manslaughter, eight years after the death of young Ismaïl, aged four, in a lift at the Côté Seine shopping centre in Argenteuil. According to TF1 Info, two companies were convicted alongside the technician: his former employer, Bagneux Hydraulique, and the lift assembler TK Elevator, formerly ThyssenKrupp.
The fines imposed amount to €80,000 for Bagneux Hydraulique and €225,000 for TK Elevator. This latter penalty exceeds the prosecution's submissions, which had sought €150,000 against the assembler. For the technician and his employer, the judgment conforms to the prosecutor's submissions.
The facts date back to 8 June 2018. On that day, Ismaïl's family visited the shopping centre. On the first floor, part of the family exited the cabin; Ismaïl followed them when the lift suddenly dropped. The boy became trapped at chest level between the shaft and the landing, in full view of his mother, who remained trapped inside. He died at the scene.
The apparatus, a hydraulic type – a rare technology in France – had experienced an oil leak in 2015. Jean-Marc H., who had joined the company in 1978, had replaced the hose used to transport the oil at that time. According to expert assessments, the connection had not been properly made. In court, the technician acknowledged an error, but was unable to explain it.
Leaving the courtroom, Ismaïl's mother, visibly moved, welcomed the decision. "Justice was able to respond to the fact that they were negligent and are therefore all responsible," she stated, before adding: "We will be able to begin, eight years later, to move forward, I think." However, she expressed concern about an appeal trial, as the lawyers of all the defendants had argued for acquittal.
The family's lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, described the judgment as "a good decision". "Normally, when there is this type of tragedy, justice considers that it should be settled purely from a civil point of view, from the perspective of compensation, whereas today justice has understood that this behaviour constitutes criminal offences," he explained.
Source: TF1 Info