Two Teen Falls Prompt Legal Investigation Into Minneapolis Property Liability
Two teenagers suffered life-changing falls at abandoned industrial properties in Minneapolis, prompting law firms to investigate whether property owners and the city could face legal responsibility for failing to secure the sites against urban explorers. The incidents highlight ongoing safety concerns surrounding decaying structures that draw teenagers seeking social media content.
One of the accidents occurred at an old grain elevator that now serves as the centerpiece of Upper Harbor Park on the city’s north side next to the Mississippi River. The park opened in September as a mix of industrial history, greenspace, and walking paths. A year before the park opened, Madison Frey, then 18 years old, entered the abandoned structure through a hole in a fence the size of a human being, according to John Gorey, an attorney representing her through the firm Romanucci and Blanding.
In September 2025, Frey fell five stories and severely hurt her spine. Gorey stated that while Frey is on an upward trajectory and requires technological assistance to walk, she will be disabled going forward. Romanucci and Blanding, alongside Riach Law, also represent Ash Ranallo-Korbell. Life-altering injuries were suffered by the 18-year-old in August after scaling the Checkerboard Grain Elevator located in the southern part of Minneapolis.
Attorneys Investigate Property Owner Responsibility After Citizen Complaints
Social media videos are often produced when youths, frequently teenagers, illegally enter vacant buildings—a widespread activity known as urban exploring. Attorneys representing the injured teens are asking property owners to better secure these sites and investigating whether owners or the city bore responsibility for keeping people out.
“In taking on Ash’s case, we began investigating and saw that there were numerous citizen complaints to the city to take action in order to close the penetrations and the fence lines around that property,” Gorey said.
Neighbor Vox Payne told WCCO over the summer that residents had warned officials repeatedly. “We’ve talked about it plenty with the city, and with other neighbors and with the police, and we kept warning them something terrible is going to happen; we know something is. And sure enough, the first thing we thought of when we heard those screams were the teenagers are up there,” Payne said in August.
Attorney Explains How Property Owners Face Liability for Trespasser Injuries
Derek Stewart, a Minneapolis attorney unaffiliated with either case, explained how property owners might be held liable when trespassers are injured. Liability often hinges on prior complaints, law enforcement involvement, and the adequacy of warnings.
“Maybe there were prior complaints or maybe there was prior law enforcement involvement. There’s also some concerns about the level of warning. Is there just a fence? Are there [no trespassing] signs? Have those warnings proven to be effective over time and over the years? Or does the property owner know that they’re not effective? Ultimately, what will end up happening is this all will go to a jury, and a jury will be able to determine it,” Stewart said.
Stewart noted that Minnesota operates under a comparative fault statute. Accountability for the harm can be shared between the owner and the victim, leaving the jury to decide whose degree of fault is greater. explained Stewart. “What we expect in Minnesota and what the law requires is that we have reasonable property owners, property owners that maintain or keep their properties in a safe, reasonable manner,” said Stewart. “If the property owner knew that people were trespassing, there had been prior injuries, or they had been told that they needed to better safeguard their property, then those are circumstances where a jury could consider significantly the fault of the property owners,” Stewart added.
Police Report Numerous Urban Explorer Cases and Multiple Arrests
Minneapolis police reported investigating about 100 urban explorer cases and making 15 arrests over the year. On Oct. 25, police arrested seven people who broke into the Basilica of St. Mary, four of whom were minors.
Legal counsel anticipate that the ongoing inquiries will enhance public protection by compelling property custodians to securely seal the locations effectively so that minors cannot gain access. Romanucci and Blanding have served as legal counsel for clients in several high-profile Twin Cities litigations, which include the relatives of Renee Good, George Floyd, Amir Locke, and Daunte Wright.
