PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — 17 months ago, a South Placer Fire District mechanic took his life in the Station 17 parking lot in Granite Bay.
Now, Trenton Jennings’ family said they're suing the department for wrongful death, citing work environment harassment and failure to prevent harassment.
Trent Jennings lived a life of service, persevering and overcoming obstacles every step of the way. Even from an early age, his mom Jaime Jennings said it’s all he wanted.
“In kindergarten, there was a project called the "All About Me" and on it, he wanted to be a marine,” said Jaime.
But an enlarged spleen would sideline him from competitive contact sports and when the time to enlist came, Jennings said he was denied.
Trent Jennings provided his entire medical history and went through a grueling seven-month screening process.
Then like most important moments in his life, he was able to call his mom with the good news.
“I was driving when he called me so excited, 'Mom, they approved me. They said I could join,'" Jaime said.
Later, a call from Camp Pendleton let his mom know he arrived. Trent graduated from boot camp in April 2016. He was assigned to the H&S Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division Camp Pendleton.
Trent served through 2019 as a diesel mechanic; he was promoted to Lance Corporal. In 2017, he deployed to the South China Sea as part of the Marine Expeditionary Unit. In 2019, he deployed to the Southwest Pacific Region as part of the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin in Okinawa, Japan.
During his service, he earned the following awards:
- Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2) (Meritorious)
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2)
- Expert Rifle Qualification Badge (3 );
- Meritorious promotion to Corporal while deployed
- Marine of the Month recognition
- Marine of the Quarter recognition
After his service, Trent returned home to Roseville and enrolled in Universal Technical Institute in Sacramento. In September of 2020, Trent was informed that South Placer Fire District would be hiring for a mechanic.
On April 5, 2022 when it came time for his mom to receive another important phone call about her son, she instead got a text message.
“I received a text message from someone who, I don’t even have their phone number, and they were offering their condolences for the loss of my son and I was driving and my blue tooth read it in my ear,” said Jennings.
At the same time, Trent’s father Raymond Jennings was being notified that at the exact same place he had gone to work for 27 years, Station 17 South Placer Fire District as a mechanic -- the place where his son had returned home from the Marines to follow in his footsteps -- was now also the place where his son took his own life.
“I wish I would have never worked there because my son wouldn’t have followed in those footsteps, and you know I cant help but feel guilty,” said Raymond.
When Raymond received the news, he knew his wife would be driving home. He didn’t want to call and upset her while she was driving. By the time she got home, Jaime had already heard the news.
Trent had overcome so many situations in his life ABC10 asked what was it about the situation at the department that could possibly lead to this ending.
“I wish I knew that, there are so many questions," said Jaime.
It's why the Jennings family is filing a wrongful death lawsuit and alleging work environment harassment and failure to prevent harassment.
The family uncovered texts messages of Trent discussing harassment. The lawsuit claims he was mocked for his military service and that he was initially denied the right to take Veteran’s Day off.
They were also told by the department the video of Trent’s last moments in the parking lot was deleted, so it couldn’t be accessed by the wrong people. The Jennings family said they were told about this during the death notification.
The family says they met with the department several months later to discuss the text messages they found and what the private investigator had uncovered. They met with the chief and deputy chief for two and half hours but felt they got nowhere.
“The deputy chief walked us out to our vehicle and as I stood out there I told him, 'You know, I hate to say it but your department is partially responsible for my son’s death' and he said, 'You are absolutely correct' and shock his head,” said Jaime.
According to the lawsuit, an unidentified district official also made a statement to coroner that “Trenton had his demons”.
The family says his honorable discharge and clean bill of mental health from the Marine’s shows these issues are because of South Placer Fire District.
The suit also says a private investigator uncovered the employee Trent was allegedly harassed by was a “known problem employee” the district “failed to control or discipline”.
The family reported the issue to Department of Fair employment and Housing where they were given the right to sue.
The claim was presented to the South Placer Fire District. The seven board members voted unanimously to deny the claim back in October of 2022.
The lawsuit was filed in Placer County Superior Court in April 2023, and now the family waits.
ABC10 tried to contact South Placer Fire District but were told we could only access the board through the Fire Chief. We left a message for the Fire Chief.
The family wanted to share the story especially with September being National Suicide Prevention month. The National Suicide Hotline is available 24/7 just call 988.
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