3 friends held liable for woman's death after dinner gathering

Three women in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, have been ordered to pay compensation to the family of a friend who died from alcohol poisoning during a gathering, due to their negligence and failure to provide timely help, according to a report by China Central Television,

On May 21, seeking comfort amid a broken heart, the victim visited a friend's home and organized a dinner gathering with two other friends to alleviate her sorrow. During the gathering, the victim consumed approximately half a kilogram of strong alcohol, while the host consumed about a quarter kilogram. The other two friends refrained from drinking.

After the dinner, the heavily intoxicated woman rested in a car, attended to by one of her sober friends. However, when the friend woke up around 5 am the next day, she discovered the victim had stopped breathing. Emergency assistance was immediately called, but despite resuscitation efforts, the victim was declared dead by a local emergency center. The cause of death was determined to be cardiac and respiratory arrest resulting from alcohol poisoning.

Struggling to accept their daughter's untimely demise, the victim's parents filed a lawsuit against the three friends, seeking compensation.

The court ruled that in a group gathering where alcohol is consumed, both organizers and participants have a duty to ensure the safety of those drinking. The host, aware of the potential physical harm from excessive drinking, failed to prevent the victim from consuming too much alcohol and did not provide reasonable assistance. As a result, the home owner was held accountable for 6 percent of the compensation, totaling over 50,000 yuan ($7,000).

The other two friends, despite not drinking, were deemed legally obligated to promptly seek medical assistance for the victim when she showed signs of excessive drinking. They were each held responsible for 3 percent of the compensation, amounting to over 20,000 yuan.

The court emphasized the collective responsibility of individuals consuming alcohol together to look after each other. When signs of excessive drinking are evident, discouraging such behavior and fulfilling obligations to provide assistance, including arranging for medical treatment, are crucial.