“Imagine the terror going on in those kids’ minds,” attorney Fred Dorr said. “And then you turn to the jury and you say, ‘What’s that worth, to watch your child die like that?’”
The former operator of an Iowa amusement park has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of an 11-year-old boy who drowned on a waterpark ride in 2021.
According to ABC News, attorneys for both parties announced that they had reached a settlement on Sunday. If they had not made an agreement, the case would have proceeded to trial the next day. The terms of the settlement, however, remain confidential.
The lawsuit centered on the death of 11-year-old Michael Jaramillo, who visited Adventureland Park in Altoona, Iowa, on July 3, 2021. While aboard the Raging River ride, Jaramillo’s boat flipped over. He, along with five of his family members, were all forced underwater, hitting their heads on the ground before resurfacing.
However, Jaramillo and one of his brothers were unable to undo their seatbelts and were trapped underwater, head-down, for about 10 minutes.
In court filings, the Jaramillo family alleged that Adventureland’s former owner, Adventure Lands of America, failed to properly maintain many of its rides—including, but not limited to, the Raging River. It also said that the park opted to keep the water ride open, even after others had reported serious problems with it.
Michael Krantz, the former CEO of Adventure Lands, denied that the ride was improperly operated or insufficiently maintained, but the Jaramillo family said that Adventureland—and its then-management—should be found vicariously responsible for the boy’s death.
“All actions or failures to act by the stated officers and managers occurred during their employment by Adventure Land, and within the scope of their employment,” the lawsuit said.
Fred Dorr, an attorney for the Jaramillo family, said he believe the lawsuit could have succeeded had it gone to trial.
“Imagine the terror going on in those kids’ minds,” attorney Fred Dorr said. “And then you turn to the jury and you say, ‘What’s that worth, to watch your child die like that?’”
A lawyer for the defendants, Guy R. Cook, said that the safety had always been Adventureland’s top priority, and that Jaramillo’s death could not have been anticipated.
“Sadly, the tragic accident was the result of a number of extraordinarily unusual factors coming together,” Cook said. “The claims of [the] lawsuit will be specifically addressed in future court filings.”
Krantz, whose family began operating Adventureland in the 1970s, sold the park along with other assets after the accident; the park was later sold to an international amusement park company before being acquired by Atlanta-based Herschend in March.
Sources
Family of boy killed in Adventureland accident sues park
Iowa amusement park’s former owner settles lawsuit over 11-year-old’s drowning
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