In 2001, 4-year-old Daniel Karven-Veres drowned at Lee's Malibu home during a birthday party for his son Brandon.
On April 17, 2003, a Superior Court jury took less than three hours to reject a wrongful death claim made by Daniel's parents, actress Ursula Karven and TV producer James Veres. The suit accused Lee of negligence for failing to have a lifeguard or someone trained in CPR present during the birthday party.