STATEMENT ON FILING LAWSUIT FOR PERRY J.

COHEN DISAPPEARANCE
Friday, July 21, 2017

Monday, July 24th, marks the 2-year anniversary Perry Cohen, and his friend, Austin Stephanos,
were lost at sea. The night before that awful episode, Perrys mother, Pamela Cohen, entrusted
the care of her son, Perry, to the Stephanos and Black Families for a sleep over at his friends
house. When she said goodbye with a kiss and a tight hug, she never imagined she would never
see him again. Pamela knew Austins mother, Carly Black, and believed Austins family would
honor her rules and directions, and use reasonable judgment as Perrys trusted custodians.

Today, on behalf of Pamela Cohen, I announce the filing of a lawsuit against those who contributed
to the disappearance and presumed death of her son, Perry J. Cohen.

This lawsuit is about truth, accountability, and justice. Because the state attorney declined to
pursue a criminal case, a civil action is now Pamela Cohens only course. A civil action carries
with it the opportunity to find the truth and let the sword of justice swing without favor, sympathy,
or prejudice. That is the American way. And, should a jury award damages for the profound loss
Pamela and her family have suffered, the greatest loss a mother can sustain, that award will be
donated to charity.

In the last 2 years, enormous resources were expended, first trying to find the boys, and then trying
to find out how and why this tragedy happened. From the beginning, law enforcement and our
fine Coast Guard and Navy did all they could to assist. After two investigations and thousands of
man-hours expended, for which Perrys Family is grateful, many questions have been answered;
still many linger.

During the first hours and days after the boys disappearance, Pamela and her family worked
tirelessly with Austins family, and an entire community of old and new friends trying to find the
boys. They worked together, cried together and hoped together.

When it became a harsh reality the boys were not coming home, for Perrys family, hope turned
to grief, and grief to bewilderment as stories, timelines, and actions just didnt add up. Was this
just an unfortunate accident? Bad luck? An act of god? There were too many unanswered questions
for any of this to make sense.

But, Perrys family endeavored to stay positive. Always giving others the benefit of the doubt and
always being completely transparent. Investigators asked Perrys family for texts, emails, phone
records and various authorizations to obtain confidential and private information. Those requests
were always welcomed, responded to with a yes, and followed by complete cooperation.

As the investigations continued, Perrys family began to understand not everyone was fully
cooperating. Austins father refused to provide full phone and text records to investigators -- law
enforcement was forced to obtain subpoenas to get this information. Naturally, Perrys family
wondered why. Eventually, they learned the following very disturbing facts:

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 1) Austins boat was not properly equipped to go into the ocean. How can a family who
owns a sport-fishing business and several ocean-going boats fail to equip their childs
boat with essential safety devices?
2) Austins parents were fully aware he was taking that boat into the ocean whenever he
wanted to, and they allowed it.
3) Austins parents knew Austin was going to take Perry fishing offshore on July 24th even
though they knew Perry was not allowed to do that without Pamelas explicit
permission and adult supervision.
4) The day before they went missing, Austins parents allowed him to take Perry fishing
off-shore, during which the boys narrowly escaped getting caught in an afternoon
summer storm. Austins parents knew this happened, but never told Pamela.
5) Austins grandfather, Richard Kuntz, who bought the boat for him, and kept it on a lift
behind his home, knew the boat wasnt equipped for the ocean, and knew Austin was
taking it offshore regularly and on the day the boys were lost, he supplied the money
for the fuel.
6) Carly Black was concerned about the boys safety as early as 1:45 pm on the day of the
incident, but NEVER called authorities for help, and waited until after 4 pm to call
Pamela. This contributed to delaying the search and rescue effort in the critical hours
after the storm.
7) Austins father, Blu Stephanos, took his own boat to search for the boys after Carly
told him Austin wasnt responding to calls or texts after the storm passed, but never
called authorities, never joined search parties that night, and has never explained his
actions. This also contributed to delaying the search and rescue effort in the critical
hours after the storm.
8) After the boat and Austins iPhone was recovered, Austins parents refused to consent
to have law enforcement try to get data off that device.

All of this just didnt add up. What were they trying to hide or protect?

Perrys family was forced to go to court to preserve the recovered iPhone and forced to push for a
reopened investigation of the recovered boat, and for the FDLE to reopen and take over the
investigation. Perrys family waited patiently for those findings.

Meanwhile, adding insult to injury, Carly Black actually sued Pamela in federal court, an
aggressive and hostile act against the person whos trust was betrayed.

Several weeks ago, the FDLE issued its report. The investigators concluded this tragedy was
avoidable. This wasnt a case of bad luck or simply bad weather. Responsible parents would have
never allowed 14-year-olds to go into the ocean on a small boat with no VHF radio, no tracking
devices, no compass, and no voyage plan. Responsible parents would have checked the weather
before letting the kids go out. Responsible parents would have respected the directions and trust
given to them by the parents of a child in their custody. Responsible parents would have called
authorities at the first hint the boys could be in harms way. Responsible parents have nothing to
hide and are fully cooperative and transparent so other grieving parents are not wondering and
waiting for questions to be answered.

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Perrys family cannot just move on, put this behind them, or let it go. There is no easy way
to move forward. For Pamela, the bond with her one and only child, is too strong to let this pass
without pursuing the truth. The more difficult path is to continue. Pamela will not, and cannot, stop
until she is confident justice has been done for Perry.

END OF STATEMENT

Rubin & Rubin

on behalf of the family of Perry J. Cohen