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The family of a University of Wisconsin Madison student who died on a study abroad program at John Cabot University, in Rome, has settled a wrongful death suit it filed against John Cabot. According to court documents, the settlement was reached Feb. 12. The court documents provide no details on the terms of the settlement.
In the civil suit, the family of 19-year-old Beau Solomon alleged that John Cabot failed to warn Solomon of the “dangerous nature” of the area surrounding the campus or of past suspicious deaths in the vicinity of the campus. Solomon is believed to have drowned in the Tiber River on July 1 shortly after his arrival in Rome for a study abroad program. His body was found downstream three days later.
The Associated Press reported last year that a homeless man was being tried on manslaughter charges for allegedly pushing Solomon into the Tiber after a fight. Police said that Solomon had been robbed by two people after going out drinking before ending up in a fight with the suspect.
The lawyer for the Solomon family declined to comment. John Cabot University also declined comment.
Wisconsin Madison ended its affiliation with John Cabot University in summer 2018 in favor of affiliating with a different study abroad provider in Rome. A spokeswoman said the decision was not made as a result of the lawsuit -- which Wisconsin Madison was not a party to -- but for reasons related to educational fit.
“The safety of our students is our top priority,” Wisconsin said in a statement. “While all risks cannot be eliminated, UW Madison takes numerous steps to ensure that our programs operate in safe environments.”
