On Aug. 14, 1992, 19-month-old Alonzette Brinson went into St. Mary's Hospital for surgery to correct a drooping eyelid. During the procedure she allegedly received too much anesthesia and went into cardiac arrest, dying ten days later. Her parents sued for negligence. During pretrial discovery, they learned that St. Mary's had let the device used to administer Alonzette's anesthesia be disassembled by the manufacturer. The parents then added a new claim to their suit alleging this action destroyed evidence (called "spoliation of evidence") that might have shown the manufacturer was liable. St. Mary's was found liable for $8.325 million in damages. The Supreme Court accepted the case to resolve conflicting opinions of the lower appellate courts about lawsuits for "spoliation of evidence."