Army Recruiters Accused of Pushing Ohio Man Into Fatal Diet and Exercise Regimen

There may be a lawsuit in the making in Ohio where a mother has accused Army recruiters of causing her son’s death through draconian dieting techniques. The death of Glenni Wilsey, 20, would normally be a pure case of assumption of the risk. However, the recruiters allegedly recommended a bizarre and dangerous course to qualify for the Army’s EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) Unit.

Wilsey died from cardiac dysrhythmia triggered by an electrolyte imbalance as a result of dieting. His mother, Lora Bailey, says that the recruiters told him that he had to lose 70 pounds in a matter of months. She says that recruiters encouraged Wilsey to “sweat off” weight by wearing a wet suit under two sweat suits while wrapped in a waist band. He was allegedly told to run for hours while only consuming 800 calories a day.

Ultimately, he lost 85 pounds in 3 and a half months. He weighed 197 pounds when he died.

The torts case would remain a challenge if this were simply stupid advice. As an adult, Wilsey assumed the risk of the diet. However, this could turn on the level of involvement of the recruiters. At a minimum, the goals and means set for Wilsey would be reckless and hopefully constitute a deviation from Army policy.

Source:Fox8 found on Reddit.

Jonathan Turley