California Grandfather, 72, Suffers Tragic Incident in Scalding Hotel Shower: Lawsuit Filed

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A recent lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court claims that dangerously hot shower water—reaching temperatures up to 136 degrees Fahrenheit—led to the death of 72-year-old Los Angeles resident Terril Johnson at a San Jose hotel.

Johnson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, embarked on a six-hour journey to San Jose with his family. The trip’s purpose was to attend his granddaughter’s graduation from San Jose State University on May 22, where she was receiving a degree in gymnastics.

Upon reaching the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites near San Jose Airport, Johnson decided to take a shower. The lawsuit, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, describes the water temperature as so extreme that it “effectively boiled him alive.”

The tragic discovery was made by Johnson’s grandson, who entered the bathroom to check on him. He found his grandfather unresponsive and partially submerged in the bathtub. The water was so scalding that family members were unable to immediately remove Johnson from the bath.

Struggling to render life-saving measures, court documents claim family members “were forced to watch in horror as his skin peeled away from his body.”

According to The Mercury News, the 72-year-old’s son, daughter-in-law, and three granddaughters, including Trinity, who was to graduate the next day, were present in the hotel room at the time.

The L.A. Times and The Mercury News reported that the hotel did not respond to requests for comment.

Terril Johnson, 72, a resident of Los Angeles seen in this undated photo. (Santa Clara County Superior Court)
Terril Johnson, 72, seen in this undated family photo. (Santa Clara County Superior Court)

The Santa Clara County medical examiner ruled that Johnson suffered burns to more than 33% of his body, the severe scalding leading to his death.

Plumbing code in California for individual showers and tub showers, according to The Times, should be no hotter than 120 degrees. The suit alleges that the water coming from the hotel shower was between 134 to 136 degrees.

“This was not a freak accident,” court documents state. “It was the direct result of Defendant’s gross negligence and failure to meet even basic safety obligations.”

Born in Indiana, the former U.S. Marine served in Vietnam and was married to his high school sweetheart for 54 years, with the couple having two children and four grandchildren. After his time in the military, he moved to California and had recently retired from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, where he worked as a senior lead technician.