New Jersey Teen Death Lawsuit Faces Possible Dismissal as Authorities Respond
The lawsuit involving Tiffany Valiante’s 2015 train crash death has taken a new turn as state officials and NJ Transit seek to dismiss it. Tiffany died on a rural South Jersey train line after a graduation celebration, but her parents have challenged the suicide verdict in numerous courts.
Tiffany’s parents sued under the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights in July, alleging foul play and inadequate investigation into her murder. The lawsuit indicated Tiffany’s death was a hate crime for the first time, emphasizing her recent lesbian announcement. The action sues New Jersey, NJ Transit, its police department, and the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office.
State attorneys argue that the parents’ 2019 case was dismissed with prejudice in 2021. The Attorney General’s Office claims that the new case violates the Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights and falls under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act, which has expired. NJ Transit’s legal team reiterated that the family had no private right of action under the victims’ bill of rights.
The lawsuit has also revealed additional evidence, including 100,000 bits of Tiffany’s phone data, which shed light on her death. Tiffany, an Oakcrest High School volleyball star in Mays Landing, died just before starting college. Her parents say she never indicated she wanted to commit herself, and her actions on the night of her death are unknown.
The Valiante family’s attorney, Paul D’Amato, said the complaint seeks new evidence that law enforcement has not fully utilized. If the court grants the state and NJ Transit’s petitions to dismiss, the family may appeal. A judge is likely to rule on these motions in early November, according to court records.
An episode of Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries” raised awareness of Tiffany’s death. Over the years, the Valiante family has filed various lawsuits to get investigative findings and reclassify Tiffany’s cause of death as unknown.
Sources
NJ Advance Media
Reports from New Jersey Attorney General’s Office
Statements from Valiante family attorney Paul D’Amato
Netflix series “Unsolved Mysteries”
