Prince George's County Jury Awards $71.4M to 18-Year-Old Injured in Lanham Fire

A Prince George’s County jury awarded $71,392,150 to 18-year-old Godlove Djapa after concluding that the owner of the Lilly Garden apartment complex in Lanham failed to provide functioning fire safety systems. The award follows a May 2022 blaze in which Djapa broke his spine and suffered severe injuries after jumping from a second-story apartment to escape the fire.

The jury verdict, returned on January 22, 2026, allocated $10 million for noneconomic damages, which is subject to statutory caps, and $2.5 million for lost earning capacity. The remaining $58,892,150 was designated for future medical care and related damages. Djapa’s attorneys described the verdict as potentially among the largest personal-injury awards in Prince George’s County history.

The lawsuit alleged multiple failures in life-safety systems at Lilly Garden: sprinklers did not activate and residents were not effectively alerted during the fire. Riverdale Towne Apartments, identified in court filings as the property owner, previously argued in motions that the complex complied with alarm requirements. Lawyers for Riverdale Towne Apartments did not respond to requests for comment after the verdict.

The immediate local impact centers on accountability for building safety and potential changes in landlord behavior. For residents of Lanham and broader Prince George’s County, the verdict underscores the practical stakes of functioning sprinklers and reliable alarm systems in multiunit housing. Tenant advocates and local officials may press for more rigorous inspections, faster enforcement of code violations, and clearer communication from landlords about safety systems.

Economically, a large jury award like this has ripple effects. Property owners and managers may face higher insurance premiums or increased costs to retrofit aging buildings with code-compliant sprinklers and alarm systems. Those costs can filter through to rents and to the financial viability of smaller landlords who operate on thin margins. Conversely, stronger enforcement and investment in safety infrastructure can reduce catastrophic losses and long-term public costs tied to severe injuries and emergency response.

The case now moves into post-trial procedure. The noneconomic portion of the award will be evaluated against statutory caps, and Riverdale Towne Apartments could seek post-trial relief or file an appeal. Insurance coverage will play a key role in how much the plaintiff ultimately receives and how much financial exposure the owner sustains.

For Prince George’s County residents, the ruling is a reminder to confirm working smoke detectors and to document safety concerns with landlords and county code enforcement. The verdict also signals that courts are willing to hold property owners financially responsible when safety systems fail, a development likely to influence landlord practices, regulatory oversight, and housing costs in the months ahead.