It was reported today on Local 10 News in Palm Beach County, Florida, that the parent's of one of the two 14 year old boy's who disappeared at sea in 2015 while fishing, have sued the family of their son's best friend and boating companion. The Cohen's are the parent's of Perry Cohen who disappeared while fishing with his best friend, Austin Stephanos. The boy's were never found and are presumed dead. The Cohen's claim that the parents of Stephanos knew their son was planning to take Perry Cohen fishing offshore without his parent's permission. They also claim that Stephanos family were aware they had gone offshore fishing the day before their fateful trip and that they provided the gas money.

In New York, parents are not held liable to victims of their child's negligent or intentional acts, unless the victim was injured by their child's use of a "dangerous instrumentality" provided to the child by the parent. Guns, knives, motorcycles, cars and even boats may be considered "dangerous instrumentalities". It could fairly be argued that a parent who provided a boat to a 14 year old that was too small for offshore fishing constituted the negligent entrustment of a "dangerous instrumentality".