DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Attorneys representing the parents of the 5-year-old boy who died in a wave pool is now suing Daytona Lagoon for negligence.
Morgan and Morgan filed the suit Feb. 2 in a Miami-Dade County circuit court. The water park’s parent company, United Parks LLC, conducts much of its business in South Florida.
The lawsuit claims Daytona Lagoon did not have adequate supervision or safety precautions when Kaiden Lawson drowned on Aug. 3, 2019. Court documents add the child’s death was preventable.
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Attorneys for the child’s parents say employees at Daytona Lagoon didn’t react quick enough to help save the boy. The wave pool was also very crowded with an “unsafe number of patrons,” according to the lawsuit. Court documents show the parents are accusing the water park of not having enough personnel monitoring the wave pool and creating an unsafe environment by overcrowding its pool.
Daytona Beach Fire Department previously told News 6 the boy was swimming in the wave pool with his family before he was taken out. Lifeguards administered CPR just before 1 p.m.
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The boy was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center but died en route.
Water park officials did not clarify if waves were running when the boy drowned.
Authorities said the child was not wearing a life jacket while swimming in the wave pool. Daytona Lagoon asks all guests 42 inches tall or shorter to wear one as a safety precaution when choosing to enjoy its wave pool.
Attorneys representing the parents are asking for at least $60,000 in damages and a jury trial.