An attack in 2012 by a swan toppled a Des Plaines man’s kayak, sending him plunging into the water of a retention pond. The aggressive swan, which had been nesting, continued to lunge at the man as he attempted to swim to shore. 
 
 He never made it. 
 
 Anthony Hensley, 37, a father of two daughters from Villa Park, drowned April 14, 2012, at the Bay Colony condominium complex near Golf Road in unincorporated Maine Township. 
 
 The case re-emerged this week when Hensley’s widow on Tuesday filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against the property management companies that owned and operated the complex. 
 
 The bizarre event left his family heartbroken and residents of the condominium complex without a regular in the community. 
 
 Hensley was a frequent visitor at the complex, where he was in charge of tending to the mute swans, which had been brought in to control the geese. He often brought his kayak and sometimes his dog to feed and care for the birds. 
 
 Amy Hensley’s lawsuit says the negligence of the companies, as well as the homeowners and condominium associations, caused her husband’s death. The companies “should have known the swans are strongly territorial with a dangerous propensity to attack,” according to the lawsuit. 
 
 Hensley is seeking at least $50,000 in damages. Her attorney did not return messages seeking comment. 
 
 A spokesman for Hillcrest Property Management Inc., one of the companies named in the lawsuit, declined to comment. The other companies named as defendants, Bay Colony Properties and the condo and homeowners associations there, could not be reached for comment. The Bay Colony complex is at 9501 Bay Colony Drive, south of Golf Road and adjacent to Interstate 294. 
 
 Anthony Hensley worked for North Barrington-based Knox Swan and Dog, which places the birds in ponds as deterrents to geese. That company is not a part of the lawsuit. 
 
 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation into Hensley’s death and found no violations on the part of Knox Swan, spokesman Scott Allen said. The case is considered closed. In order for OSHA to investigate, there must be a employee-employer relationship, Allen said, and the property management companies were not part of the probe. 
 
 The lawsuit contends the property companies kept a pair of mute swans at the complex to control the goose population and should be held liable for “knowingly keeping dangerous animals on the premises.” 
 
 Anthony Hensley did nothing to provoke the swans prior to the attack, according to the lawsuit. 
 
 Dive crews needed to search the 50-foot-deep pond to locate Hensley, who was pronounced dead at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. 
 
 poconnell@chicagotribune.com 
 
 Twitter @pmocwriter 
 
 RELATED: Man dies after being pulled from pond in Des Plaines » ||||| The widow of an Illinois man who drowned in 2012 after being attacked by a swan filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday. 
 
 Anthony Hensley, 37, was attacked by a swan while kayaking in a retention pond at the Bay Colony condominium complex in Maine Township, Illinois in April 2012. 
 
 Hensley was reportedly attacked by a swan and at some point fell into the water. Hensley – who was wearing boots and heavy clothing – drowned before he could make it to land. 
 
 His death was ruled an accident. 
 
 Hensley’s widow field a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court against the property management companies that owned and operated Bay Colony, the Chicago Tribune reported. 
 
 Hensley’s widow is seeking at least $50,000 in damages. 
 
 The Tribune said it reached out to the companies named in the suit, but did not hear back. 
 
 His widow's lawsuit stated that the companies’ and the homeowners/condominium associations’ negligence caused her husband's death. 
 
 The lawsuit contended that the companies “should have known the swans are strongly territorial with a dangerous propensity to attack,” and that they should be held liable for “knowingly keeping dangerous animals on the premises.” 
 
 Swans, known for being territorial and aggressive, are often used by property management to keep the population of geese from growing too large. 
 
 Hensley was a frequent visitor at the Bay Colony complex, where he was tasked with taking care of the swans. He often brought his kayak to feed and tend to the birds, the Chicago Tribune reported. ||||| Please enable Javascript to watch this video 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.- A local dad is crying "fowl" after he says he got a ticket for protecting his son from an aggressive goose. But county law enforcement says he went too far. 
 
 James McDaniel says he did what any parent would do if an aggressive animal was attacking their child. He admits to hitting a Canada goose with a plastic Wiffle ball bat after he says the bird started chasing his 4-year-old son, Ethan. 
 
 “A goose actually came from the other side of the field… and proceeded to go full wing span and chase after my son,” said McDaniel. 
 
 He says he grabbed the only thing around: his son’s plastic bat. 
 
 “So I swing one time, he [the goose] kind of topples over, I grab my son… and I ran across the street,” said McDaniel. 
 
 And that swing, it seems, got feathers flying after a witness called police. 
 
 “It was clearly attacking my son,” said McDaniel, “if anyone else had seen the whole incident, they would have known I was trying to protect my son.” 
 
 Marion County Animal Services showed up and issued McDaniel a ticket for animal cruelty. The agency was unable to comment on the case because of pending litigation, but according to the incident report witnesses say they saw McDaniel hit the bird three times. The report also states the officer did take the goose to a local veterinarian. McDaniel maintains that he was only protecting his child. 
 
 “FOX59 has shown before that these birds are becoming more and more aggressive,” said McDaniel, citing a report that aired on FOX59 in April regarding aggressive geese and the Department of Natural Resources response to them. 
 
 “This is very frustrating because why should I not be allowed to protect my child against wildlife anywhere?” 
 
 DNR officials said a person is allowed to protect themselves or others from wildlife, but can only use a reasonable amount of force based on the amount of harm a particular animal could inflict. McDaniel will go before a judge on Monday. ||||| Christine Fensome, from Herefordshire, was on a dream trip to Mexico with her husband Andy Bennetts when she became ill 
 
 Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) 
 
 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 
 
 Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) 
 
 A NEWLYWED bride died on her honeymoon from a heart attack believed to have been caused by eating fish. 
 
 Christine Fensome, 54, was on a dream trip to Mexico with her husband Andy Bennetts, 58, when she became ill during the night on September 27 - just 10 days after her wedding. 
 
 Facebook Chris Fensome, pictured with her new husband Andy Bennetts, died while they were on their honeymoon in Mexico 
 
 Facebook The 54-year-old became ill after eating fish while on the dream holiday 
 
 Her children have been told the evening before she died Chris ate fish, thought to have contained high levels of mercury, which may have led to her organs shutting down. 
 
 It is the second tragedy to hit the family after they lost their dad Craig in 2004, who was killed in a hit-and-run at the age of 41. 
 
 Her three children Brad, 33, Richard, 30 and Hayley, 29, say their mother struggled to get over the loss until meeting Andy seven years ago. 
 
 related stories MEAT THE FAMILY Oxo release new advert with first TV family since the death of Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham DEATH THREAT Bowler Doug Bollinger accused of saying 'I'm going to kill you' to batsman Phillip Hughes during tragic match 'tragic case' Couple lose court battle to stop granddaughter they didn't know existed from being adopted Part of the family Bindi Irwin's bloke takes on croc as he tries to emulate her tragic dad Crocodile Hunter Steve ‘S***, I CAN'T STOP' Cries of nurse killed in tragic accident when she was thrown off her horse after it was suddenly spooked CHANGING FACES Eighties pop icons Bros reveal tragic loss of their mum brought them back together and first interview in 27 years 
 
 They say Andy taught her to "love again" and the pair tied the knot on September 17 before jetting off on their honeymoon. 
 
 Her brother James Bowyer, 49, said the family had been told her fatal sudden illness had been caused by eating a grouper fish contaminated with a toxin from a plankton that is found on coral, algae and seaweed. 
 
 He said: "If anything can come from my sister's death it is raising awareness about eating fish abroad. Knowledge appears to be quite limited about ciguatera food poisoning but it can be a hidden killer. 
 
 "Due to global warming the toxin is becoming more prevalent and is found on algae on coral reefs in certain parts of the world - including the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 "The algae gets eaten by smaller fish and those fish get eaten by larger fish like groupers and barracudas. 
 
 "There are no known tests to detect it and there is no effective treatment for it. So there was nothing Christine could have really done. 
 
 Facebook Christine (right) was having the time of her life when she suddenly fell ill 
 
 "Restaurants over there tend to serve smaller fish as that means smaller the amount of potential toxins. 
 
 "Ciguatera poisonings are quite common but deaths are extremely rare. It can cause shooting pains in the chest and in my sisters' case it caused her to have a heart attack." 
 
 Daughter Hayley said: "Everyone says to me 'stay focused, stay strong, keep going for your mum and dad.' 
 
 "But it is hard. I used to cry to mum that my dad would not be able to walk me down the aisle and she would tell me that she would be there to walk me down the aisle. But now I haven't got anyone. 
 
 "She would talk to anyone. People met her once and fell in love with her. She would do anything for any of us. 
 
 "She loved her life for us. She tried so hard to be both mum and dad. We can't really grieve our mum as we don't know how [she died] or why." 
 
 Christine, from Burghill, Herefordshire, was described as being a "fit and active" regular gym-goer who doted on her five grandchildren. 
 
 Hayley said when their father died Christine had struggled to come to terms with the shock and became a recluse. 
 
 Facebook Christine took this photo while she was holidaying in Mexico 
 
 Facebook The couple were on their dream honeymoon in Mexico when she died 
 
 She added: "Our mum didn't come out of the house for five years. She couldn't get going. 
 
 "But she found her feet again slowly and found happiness at the end. 
 
 "She just looked beautiful [on her wedding day]. It was a lovely day and the sun was shining." 
 
 Son Richard said: "The fact she went from happy to dark times and finally got happiness again and then this. 
 
 "It is too much to take in. It is a major shock. Mum stuck us all together. She was the glue and now she has gone." 
 
 Christine had started working as an office administrator at Hartwell Ford a few months ago. 
 
 She also leaves behind her mum Sybil Bowyer, her brother James Bowyer, and sister Marion Bevan. 
 
 Her funeral will be held on October 21 at St Paul's Church in Tupsley, Hereford. 
 
 Richard added: "She didn't have the ending she deserved for what she gave to life but she is going to have the farewell she deserves." 
 
 WHAT IS CIGUATERA FISH POISONING? Ciguatera fish poisoning is an illness caused by eating fish that contain toxins produced by algae. 
 
 Terrifyingly, the illness has no cure and symptoms such as vomiting, tingling toes and fingers and nausea can last for years. 
 
 In rare cases, it triggers respiratory or heart failure which causes death. 
 
 The risk is mostly limited to those eating reef fish such as snapper, barracuda and grouper. 
 
 Unfortunately, contaminated fish display no effects and so identifying potential instances of contamination is extremely difficult. 
 
 It is also heat-resistant, meaning cooking the fish thoroughly does not stop it causing sickness. 
 
 We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.
– It was his job to take care of the swans, and it was a swan that ended up ending his life. Now the wife of a Des Plaines, Ill., man who died in 2012 after a swan attack in a condo complex's retention pond is suing the companies that own and operate the complex, the Chicago Tribune reports. In her complaint, Amy Hensley says the property management companies, as well as the condo and homeowners associations at the Bay Colony complex, were negligent in keeping the swans on the premises. Geese are fearful of swans, so swans or swan decoys are sometimes brought in to keep the goose population in check. But swans can act aggressively while trying to protect their young, and it was a swan's unchecked aggressiveness, Hensley says, that led to the death of her husband, Anthony Hensley. The 37-year-old dad of two worked for Knox Swan and Dog, a local company that rents out swans as a goose control remedy, and he was often seen at Bay Colony taking care of the hired-out birds, typically in his kayak and with his dog. But on the day in question in April 2012, a nesting swan attacked Hensley's kayak and tipped him out of it. The bird continued to go after Hensley, who Fox News says was wearing heavy clothes and boots. He tried to make it to land but ended up drowning. His death was ruled accidental, but his wife's complaint notes the defendants in her suit "should have known the swans are strongly territorial with a dangerous propensity to attack." The suit adds he didn't do anything to agitate the swan before it attacked. Hensley's wife is asking for at least $50,000 in damages. (An Indianapolis man got ticketed for trying to protect his young son from a goose.)