Family of boy who drowned on Adventureland’s Raging River ride files lawsuit
The family of an 11-year-old boy who drowned on a water ride at Adventureland has filed a lawsuit against the Iowa theme park just days before the first anniversary of his death.
David and Sabrina Jaramillo were enjoying a day at Adventureland with their four children — Michael Jaramillo, David Jaramillo Jr., August Jaramillo and Nyla Pettie — on July 3, 2021 when the tragedy occurred.
The family said their raft almost immediately started taking on water upon leaving the loading area for the Raging River attraction. It then struck the bottom of the ride before it “suddenly and violently overturned,” leaving some of the riders trapped underwater, according to court documents obtained by KWWL.
Michael died on the amusement park attraction.
The family of an 11-year old boy who died on a water ride at an Iowa amusement park a year ago filed a wrongful death lawsuit in state court Thursday, June 30, 2022, alleging the park failed to properly maintain and repair its rides. (Charlie Neibergall/)
The rest of his family also suffered injuries in the incident, including David, who remained in the hospital for a month after. They’d taken the trip to celebrate his 16th birthday.
In the lawsuit filed on Thursday, the Jaramillos alleged that Adventureland has for years neglected to properly maintain and repair its rides, including the Raging River. Despite this, the park continued its day-to-day operations without regard or recourse.
“The family now lives with the nightmare of the loss of a beloved child and brother, their lives forever altered,” the lawsuit reads.
They are seeking an unspecified amount in damages for negligence from the company that owned the park, Adventure Lands of America, its former CEO Michael Krantz and three managers.
With News Wire Services
