Central Park Tree-Horror Dad To Sue - Maintenance Records Sought

Mom Karla DelGallo, with tragic 6-month-old Gianna Ricciutti, is in stable condition at a city hospital.

Manhattan

A New Jersey man whose wife was gravely injured and baby daughter killed by a falling tree branch in Central Park has taken the first step toward filing a lawsuit against the city.

Michael Ricciutti's lawyer filed papers in Manhattan Supreme Court seeking a court order demanding the city preserve all the evidence of Saturday's tragedy, including the branch that killed 6-month-old Gianna and seriously hurt her mom, Karla Del Gallo.

The branch fell an estimated 25 feet onto the pair as they were posing for a picture outside the Central Park Zoo. The filing said the branch is necessary evidence for a negligence suit against the city.

In an affidavit attached to the proposed court order, lawyer Dino Mastropietro says Del Gallo suffered "catastrophic injuries" in the accident, including "skull, orbital and jaw fractures and severe brain damage."

CATHERINE NANCE

Central Park NIGHTMARE: The Central Park tree whose limb cracked off — and the fallen branch itself, 25 feet below — are both visible in the aftermath of the tragedy that left 6-month-old Gianna Ricciutti dead. The deadly Central Park tree branch would be saved as evidence under the court filing.

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Tree-horror dad to sue

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