Parents Sue Scouting Group for Summer Camp Death of 11-Year-Old Son
Summer camp should be a fun and learning experience for a child. But too many camps are run unprofessionally, with unqualified employees, and they put children’s health and safety at risk. No matter how well-intentioned these organizations may be, or how long they’ve existed without risks being realized, they must be held accountable for their negligence if they hurt your child.
If a summer camp’s negligent management caused a serious injury to your child, Satterley & Kelley PLLC, Kentucky summer camp injury attorneys are here to help you take legal action. We will be with you every step of the way, protecting your best interests and ensuring your family gets the compensation they deserve.
The trauma caused by the accident can be compounded by an uncaring insurance bureaucracy trying to save money at your expense. You can focus on your recovery while we handle them.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed After Death of 11-Year-Old at a New Hampshire Summer Camp
The parents of Keoni Hubbard of Lexington, Massachusetts, who was killed in a 2023 boating accident at a Boy Scout camp, Camp Bell, in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the matter.
The defendants are the scouting organization running the camp (the Daniel Webster Council, Inc.), the Boy Scouts of America, and a counselor who was 18 at the time, Ethan Showalter, who was apparently most directly responsible for his death.
Hubbard and seven other campers were taken out on Lake Manning in a 21-foot motorboat by Showalter. The Hubbards’ attorney, Tucker Merrigan, alleges he was “woefully unprepared” to supervise and take the scouts out in the boat. He claims Showalter allowed the boys to swim in the lake without anchoring the boat and failed to keep track of them in the water.
Keoni died of injuries caused when the boat’s moving propeller hit him. Jena and John Hubbard claim the Boy Scouts of America and the New Hampshire-based Daniel Webster Council are responsible for Keoni’s death because they failed to adequately train and supervise Showalter, according to WBUR.
Showalter received a boating license ten days before the accident and allegedly spent less than an hour learning about the boat’s controls. Merrigan states that Daniel Webster Council, Inc. broke its own rules by allowing him to be in charge of the boat despite the facts that he hadn’t received lifeguard training and wasn’t yet 21 years old.
Victim’s Mother Overwhelmed and Devastated
The lawsuit seeks damages, and the family wants to compel the scouting organization to implement and enforce safety rules. They state that legal action is the only way to ensure that happens. Merrigan told the press that if a jury decides the case, a verdict in their favor could result in damages exceeding $100 million.
He said the family didn’t want to sue Showalter personally, but had to under New Hampshire law to bring the case. He said, “(Showalter) was 18 years old, and he was put in an impossible situation with a job he was destined to fail.”
“I did not know that this level of sadness existed,” Jena Hubbard said in a press call. “Even the word sad seems insufficient, and it is overwhelming to think that I will feel this way every day for the rest of my life. I’m devastated my son won’t be able to grow up.”
Speak To a Personal Injury Attorney Today
If negligent actions caused your child’s injuries or death, Satterley & Kelley PLLC Kentucky summer camp injury attorneys are here to help you hold those responsible accountable. We will be with you every step of the way, zealously defending your rights and ensuring your family gets the most compensation possible. Don’t deal with this serious situation alone.
Call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation with a Satterley & Kelley PLLC lawyer.