Sept. 6, 2017: A recently filed lawsuit in Dallas County District Court blames negligence on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America for the death of Reid Comita, a Fort Worth teen. (Photo: WFAA) 
 
 DALLAS-- A recently filed lawsuit in Dallas County District Court blames negligence on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America for the death of a Fort Worth teen three months ago. 
 
 Reid Comita,15, died from heat stroke while hiking at Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch in June. 
 
 "The Boy Scouts of America are responsible for my son's death. It's that simple. They are responsible," John Comita told WFAA in a sit-down interview. 
 
 The new lawsuit outlines a series of allegations surrounding Reid's death, namely that he was "...sent on an extremely aggressive hike" in temperatures hovering around 100 degrees with a heat index well over that. 
 
 The Comita family had specifically signed Reid up for an introductory backpacking class, under adult supervision, because they felt it was the safest option for their son. 
 
 "He wasn't an athlete. He wasn't prepared to go on an advanced hike," his father said. 
 
 Photos from the camp's Facebook page show rugged, mountainous terrain meandering through Jeff Davis County in southwest Texas. 
 
 The petition further contends that Reid didn't receive proper training at the camp before being sent out on the more advanced hike and that he was accompanied by only two other teenagers, not the required two adults. 
 
 The circumstances have left Copper Comita, Reid's mother, baffled, angry and crushed. 
 
 "It doesn't take it away. It doesn't make it any better. It's just that much more pain," said Copper. 
 
 The lawsuit also outlines communication issues, claiming the Comita family wasn't notified of his death for more than four hours. 
 
 "We were calling, and no one could give us a straight answer as to how he was," said Copper. 
 
 The backpacking course would have been Reid's final task to accomplish Eagle Scout. His troop has since awarded him the honor posthumously. 
 
 "His friends, his troop, have been great," says John. "But we haven't heard from the BSA or organization at all." 
 
 The BSA sent WFAA the following statement: 
 
 “This remains a difficult time for our Scouting community, and we continue to keep the family in our thoughts and prayers. The health and safety of our youth members is of paramount importance to the BSA, and integral to everything we do. We strive to create a safe environment for youth to experience outdoor adventure." 
 
 For Copper, the loss of a son who excelled in studies and choir when he wasn't earning merit badges, is a void that simply can't be filled. 
 
 "He was very special," she said. 
 
 John says he grew up participating in the Boy Scouts, and that he always felt it was something he could proudly share with his son. 
 
 "It was great bonding for us," he said. "On one hand, they pass themselves off as a great, upstanding organization with the 12 points. But those are there for their [the executives] convenience." 
 
 © 2017 WFAA-TV ||||| Logan Blythe, 15, poses for a photo in his Boy Scout uniform. (Chad Blythe) 
 
 When Logan Blythe learned that his Eagle Scout project had been approved last November, he was elated. After years of hard work earning merit badges and participating in the Boy Scouts through his local Utah church, Logan was one step closer to becoming an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Scouts. 
 
 Rising to that rank is an impressive feat for any teenage boy, but particularly for 15-year-old Logan, who has Down syndrome. He has the cognitive abilities of a 4-year-old and is incapable of writing or holding an intelligible conversation, his father, Chad Blythe, told The Washington Post. 
 
 Despite his limitations, local Scout leaders allowed him to earn merit badges by completing the requirements to the best of his abilities. And on Nov. 9, Scout officials told him his Eagle Scout project — making kits for newborn babies in hospitals — had been approved. Logan smiled widely for a photo in his green Boy Scout sash. 
 
 “We were all overjoyed,” Chad Blythe, of Payson, said in an interview with The Post. “We were all happy that this was happening … not only for Logan but for his troop and for the Boy Scouts.” 
 
 But about 24 hours later, the father received an email from one of the same Scout officials photographed with Logan the day before. 
 
 “I have been asked to suspend Logan’s Eagle Project approval,” the email stated. “Please do not do any more work on his project.” 
 
 When the local officials contacted the national Boy Scouts organization, they were told that there were no alternative requirements for the Eagle rank, the email said, meaning they would be unable to accommodate Logan. 
 
 “The young man MUST do the requirements as written, including leadership responsibilities,” the email said. “He also must be able to plan, develop and carry out his Eagle Project.” 
 
 “I sincerely apologize and regret any false hope we have given,” it also said. 
 
 Since Logan had not earned his merit badges by fulfilling the requirements as written, he would no longer be eligible for the Eagle Scout rank. 
 
 Now, his parents are suing the Boy Scouts of America, accusing the organization of discriminating against Logan because of his disabilities. 
 
 The lawsuit, filed last week in the Fourth Judicial District Court of Utah County, names the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, the Utah National Parks Council, and nine people employed by the Utah National Parks Council. It demands that the Boy Scouts of America accommodate Logan and provide damages of at least $1. 
 
 The local Scout officials’ approval and subsequent suspension of Logan’s project, the lawsuit says, “was outrageous and reckless and caused Logan and the Blythes significant mental and emotional distress.” 
 
 On Tuesday, the Boy Scouts of America responded to local and national news coverage of the family’s allegations, saying it hopes to work with Logan and his parents to support his efforts to become an Eagle Scout. 
 
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 “We want to be clear — the option to earn the rank of Eagle Scout has been — and still is — available to Logan,” the Boy Scouts statement read. “We remain inspired by his dedication to Scouting, and we hope to continue working with Logan and his family to support him in the effort to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.” 
 
 “The process of achieving the Eagle Scout rank is rigorous for any Scout, but it is designed so that accommodations can be made for Scouts with disabilities or special needs,” the statement continued. “The National Disabilities Advancement Team wants to work directly with the Blythe family to review what Logan has accomplished based on his abilities and help determine a path to earn the Eagle Scout rank that is both appropriate and empowering for him.” 
 
 But Chad Blythe said Boy Scout officials have not reached out to his family directly and have not responded to his emails. He said the organization’s statement appears to be an attempt to save face, and it contradicts policies listed on the Boy Scouts’ website. 
 
 “Alternatives are not available for the Star, Life, and Eagle rank requirements,” the Boy Scouts website states. “Scouts may request approval for alternative merit badges, but the other requirements for those three ranks must be fulfilled as written.” 
 
 “It is important to remember that the advancement program is meant to challenge our members; however, not all of them can achieve everything they might want to — with or without a disability. It is for this reason all Scouts are required to meet the requirements as they are written, with no exceptions,” the website also says. 
 
 
 
 Logan Blythe, left, poses with local Scout leaders in November, on the day his Eagle Scout project was approved. 
 
 Even some requirements for alternative merit badges would be impossible for Logan to meet, his father said. Although he can function at a high level physically, he has a hard time understanding and following instructions. He is incapable of reciting or memorizing anything, and he has difficulty writing and speaking. 
 
 Logan has won a gold medal in swimming the 25-meter freestyle in Utah’s regional Special Olympics, but he can’t dive to the bottom of a pool or tread water on command, which are requirements for a swimming merit badge. “You can ask him to dive to the bottom of the pool or tread water, but he’s going to look at you and just wave and smile,” Chad Blythe said. 
 
 The cooking merit badge, for example, requires a Boy Scout to measure ingredients precisely. 
 
 “If you give a 4-year-old a bag of flour, what’s going to happen?” Blythe said. “That’s exactly the way he thinks. He’s really operating at the level of a 4-year-old.” 
 
 Logan, who is in the ninth grade, loves horses, Curious George, and his stuffed giraffe named Giraffe. He loves to make people smile, often pointing at his father’s face and telling him “Daddy, smile?” 
 
 But because of his developmental delays and limited verbal skills, Logan is often isolated. Joining the Boy Scouts provided him with an avenue to develop social skills, make friends and work toward goals. 
 
 Moreover, Logan and his family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is closely tied to the Boy Scouts in Utah. Most social opportunities for teenagers in the Mormon Church involve participation in the Boy Scouts. And becoming an Eagle Scout award is a “very high honor,” Chad Blythe said. 
 
 “It’s considered one of those things you do … to build a man, if you will,” he said. “It’s a bit of a symbol of pride. 
 
 “We viewed it as a way for Logan to be a leader, for Logan to help the people around him, which is one of things Logan loves to do the most,” the father added. 
 
 And Logan loved it. He was always excited to put on his green sash. But now he no longer wants to wear his uniform, his father said. Even though he didn’t fully understand the details, he became visibly depressed after his Eagle Scout project was suspended. 
 
 In recent days, his family has received an outpouring of messages from people across the country outraged by Logan’s situation. Numerous Eagle Scouts have offered to give Logan their honors. Jim Dabakis, a Democratic Utah state senator, invited Logan to be an “honorary Senator for a day.” 
 
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 But what Logan’s family wants is to “expand the vision” of the organization, “not just for our son but also for the next kid.” 
 
 “If we can make a change and make something positive come of all of this, then the next kid … won’t have to do what we’re doing now,” Chad Blythe said, “and they won’t be hurt and let down the way Logan has been let down.” 
 
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 Lawyers for Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen erupt at each other: ‘You’re gonna go down in flames’ ||||| A former Ridgefielder, who died two years ago, is the subject of a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America by 17 former Scouts who allege he sexually abused them on camping trips and outings from 1963 to 1975. 
 
 A copy of the complaint can be found here. 
 
 Donald Dennis was an assistant scoutmaster and scoutmaster at various times during that period for Troops 80, 90 and 172; he moved out of Connecticut in 1975. He was also a local businessman in Ridgefield and was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary during that time. 
 
 The initial reports of the lawsuit came on Tuesday in an online article in the Hartford Courant. By Wednesday morning, a former Ridgefield Scout told The Press that he never had any idea such incidents were taking place, and expressed disbelief. 
 
 “I was a member of Troop 90 and Troop 172 between October 1969, when I turned 11, and sometime between 1974 and ‘75 when I switched to the Explorer Post at the Schlumberger-Doll Research Center. In all that time I was not aware of even a hint of sexual abuse in the troop,” said the former Scout, who contacted The Press by email but did not give explicit permission to use his name. 
 
 The lawsuit was filed in Stamford Superior Court in 859 pages by attorney Brooke Goff, who is representing all 19 plaintiffs, including two minor females. It follows a suit in 2012 in Oregon in which it was revealed that the national Boy Scout organization kept secret records of potential pedophiles who were called ineligible volunteers, and a lawsuit in 2014 in which a Waterbury jury awarded an unidentified accuser $7 million for sexual abuse claims. 
 
 In the Ridgefield case, one of the boys was sexually assaulted 1,000 times, according to Goff. The lawsuit alleges that two girls were made to witness the scoutmaster abuse boys. 
 
 According to Press archives, Dennis moved to town in 1961. 
 
 Dennis was named in a negligence lawsuit brought by a Scout who was seriously injured during a scouting function in 1968. The Scout was awarded $161,000 in a court settlement in 1972. 
 
 The lawsuit alleges that Dennis was known by the BSA for being a pedophile as well, but it was covered up and did not affect his role as a scoutmaster. 
 
 The suit alleges the BSA kept a file of ineligible volunteers in secrecy for 70 years, and hid the information that scouting was a magnet for pedophiles. Dennis should have been barred from scouting after repeatedly being placed on that ineligible list, the suit claims, but was allowed to continue as a scoutmaster and as a result, his victims suffered shame, depression, inability to have a normal relationship, and inability to trust. 
 
 The suit characterized Dennis as a sexual predator who kept up relationships with boys over years. 
 
 The local and national offices of the Boy Scouts of America would not comment on Dennis’s career as a scoutmaster or its details, but issued the following statement: 
 
 “Nothing is more important than the safety of our youth members and we are saddened when anyone uses their position to harm children. The Boy Scouts of America extends its deepest sympathies to any person who has been hurt by child sexual abuse. 
 
 “We were only made aware of these allegations last month and had never before received any reports or accusations against this individual by youth members, parents or adult volunteer leaders. 
 
 “… This individual has not been registered in our programs for many years and is now deceased. 
 
 “Recognizing youth protection requires sustained vigilance, in the more than 40 years since these events took place the BSA has continued to develop and enhance our efforts to protect youth, regularly consulting with experts from law enforcement, child safety, psychology, and other disciplines to ensure its efforts consistently evolve along with the ever-changing awareness of the dangers and challenges facing youth. 
 
 “Today, the BSA seeks to prevent child abuse through a comprehensive program of education on the subject, the chartered organization leader selection process, criminal background and other checks, policies and procedures to serve as barriers to abuse and the prompt mandatory reporting of any allegation or suspicion of abuse.” 
 
 Press archives about Dennis include a story of him jumping 20 feet off a bridge into the icy waters of the West Branch Reservoir in Putnam County, N.Y., in February 1967 to rescue a dog from drowning. 
 
 He was 37 at the time, lived on Old Sib Road, and was scoutmaster of Troop 80, leading boys on expeditions like a five-day survival hike in Vermont. He was also described as a veteran of the Air Rescue Division of the U.S. Coast Guard. 
 
 He was married to Marcia F. Dennis from 1951 until they divorced in 1973, according to Press archives. He and his wife had two daughters and a son. 
 
 In 1948, as a Coast Guardsman, he and two other men joined in the rescue of seven fishermen on the storm-tossed waters of Cape Cod Bay, off New Bedford, Mass. 
 
 “The men’s fishing boat was afire and, being primarily fishermen, they could not negotiate the choppy waters and swim to the cutter which had been sent to help them. Mr. Dennis and his two helpers pulled the men over to the rescue vessel and helped them into it,” according to the archived story. 
 
 In a 1974 interview about his Ridgefield engineering company, Dennis and Miller Engineering, it was reported that Dennis had a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, majoring in accounting, but became involved with X-rays while working for General Electric in Boston. He became a partner in an X-ray firm, and developed the video scanning equipment used at airports during the early 1970s, when plane hijacking had become a concern. 
 
 The equipment could spot guns, knives or bombs, he said. The equipment was also sold to prisons. 
 
 He operated the company out of a former Amoco gas station on Danbury Road. 
 
 Dennis left Ridgefield in 1975, according to the lawsuit, and it is unclear whether his career as a scoutmaster ended then. 
 
 Goff, the Stamford attorney bringing the claim, made it clear this lawsuit is seeking damages in excess of $7 million. 
 
 She said she has no plans to go after Dennis’s estate, but is focusing her efforts to seek damages from the Boy Scouts organization.
– The grieving parents of 15-year-old Reid Comita say he died after going on a hike the Boy Scouts should never have sent him on. The Texas teenager died from heat stroke in June while on an "Intro to Backpacking" course that would have been his final task to become an Eagle Scout. "The Boy Scouts of America are responsible for my son's death. It's that simple," father John Comita tells WFAA. Reid's parents are suing Boy Scouts of America, accusing them of being negligent by sending the boy on an "extremely aggressive hike" through rugged terrain in southwest Texas on a day when temperatures were around 100 degrees. "He wasn't an athlete. He wasn't prepared to go on an advanced hike," the father says. John Comita says the family signed Reid up for the course—which was supposed to include two days of training followed by a three-day hike—because they thought it was the safest option, but he was immediately sent on the hike, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The lawsuit also faults the Boy Scouts for sending Reid on a hike with two other teenagers, a 14-year-old and an 18-year-old, instead of the two adults that regulations require. Boy Scouts of America, which awarded Reid the rank of Eagle Scout after his death, declined to comment on the lawsuit but said the "health and safety of our youth members is of paramount importance," the Washington Post reports. (This woman got sick on a hike and was dead 9 hours later.)