SAN JOSE, CA — A grandfather who had traveled from Los Angeles to San Jose to see his granddaughter graduate from college was instead “effectively boiled alive” in a hotel shower, according to reports.
Terril Johnson’s family filed a lawsuit earlier this month against Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites San Jose Airport, claiming wrongful death and emotional distress, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Johnson’s grandson found him unconscious and partially submerged in the water on May 22, according to the Times. He was discovered “within minutes” of entering the shower, The Mercury News reported, citing the lawsuit and noting that the water was so hot his family could not safely remove him and his skin peeled off.
The water was roughly 135 degrees, capable of causing third-degree burns in seconds and higher than the legal maximum of 120 degrees, according to the News. Johnson had burns on more than a third of his body, the Times reported.
Marriott did not respond to requests from either publication seeking comment.
Johnson, who was in his 70s, was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who retired last year after a long career with the Los Angeles Metro, according to the News.