A lawsuit alleges that the death of 74-year-old Patricia Penelton during a tornado last year was preventable after a church steeple collapsed onto her. According to reports, Penelton was inside the Centennial Christian Church of St. Louis on May 16, 2025, helping with meal service when a tornado struck the religious institution. The tornado reportedly caused the church’s stone steeple to fall, leading to Penelton’s death. The legal claim asserts that the outcome could have been avoided, though specifics of the alleged negligence or safety failures are not described in the provided accounts. The reports focus on the circumstances of the collapse during the storm and Penelton’s activity inside the church at the time. The cases described are based on the allegations raised in the lawsuit, and the information reflects what has been publicly reported from the outlets referenced rather than established findings from a court.