Shocking Incident at Birthday Celebration in Forest Hills Home Leads to Civil Lawsuit
A small surprise party in Forest Hills, New York, turned into a horrifying experience for the hosts and guests, resulting in a civil lawsuit. Dr. Yves Duroseau, a renowned emergency medicine physician, and his wife Claude hosted a nine-course dinner in their backyard to celebrate Yves’ sister, Rosevony Duroseau’s, 47th birthday. The occasion was especially joyous for Rosevony as she had recently gotten engaged.
The guests in attendance were a diverse group, consisting mostly of friends and colleagues who were Black or Latino. The event was catered by chef Vanessa Cantave, a winner of Bravo’s cooking competition show, “Rocco’s Dinner Party.” However, as the evening was drawing to a close, an unidentified white woman arrived with a large German Shepherd, demanding the music be turned down.
According to a civil lawsuit obtained by The Daily Beast, the woman’s attempt to silence the guests and end their celebration escalated when a white neighbor, Marcus Rosebrock, grabbed his backyard hose and started hosing down the guests to get them to disperse. The lawsuit describes the scene as reminiscent of the civil rights demonstrations in 1960’s Birmingham, Alabama, where African Americans were hosed by White law enforcement officers.
The incident left the hosts, guests, and caterers feeling degraded, humiliated, and in fear. Attorney Mina Q. Malik, representing the Duroseaus and the others at the dinner party, expressed her disbelief at such actions taking place in New York City in 2022. The lawsuit claims that Rosebrock violated the Duroseaus’ civil rights and seeks undetermined monetary damages for the mental anguish and emotional distress caused.
Rosebrock, a German national, has not yet responded to the complaint. His attorney denies the allegations of racism or racial motivation behind his actions. The lawsuit describes how the evening took a surreal turn when Rosebrock, who lives next door to the Duroseaus, trained his powerful hose on the guests and continued to increase the water pressure with each spray.
Despite calling 911 and reporting the incident, the Duroseaus claim that there has been no meaningful investigation or follow-up. They now feel like prisoners in their own home and have not held any backyard events since the incident.
The Duroseaus, their guests, and the caterer are seeking justice for the assaultive conduct, battery, and civil rights violations. The lawsuit aims to hold Rosebrock accountable for the damage caused to their reputation and emotional well-being.
As the case progresses, the victims hope to receive the justice they deserve and bring attention to the shocking incident that unfolded at their celebration.