Jaramillo Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Adventureland Park for Death of 11-Year-Old Son

Wrongful death lawsuit Jaramillo Family Adventureland Park death

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Jul 09, 01:26 pm

David and Sabrina Jaramillo of Cedar Rapids had filed a lawsuit against Adventureland Park in Des Moines suburb of Altoona for the death of their son, Michael, in one of the rides. The Jaramillo couple's other three children - David Jaramillo Jr., August Jaramillo, and Nyla Pettie- are also named plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The family, including the 11-year-old Michael, were on the Raging River ride at the park on July 3, 2021, when the raft carrying all six family members turned over, trapping them beneath the water, per ABC News.

Michael drowned, while other family members were injured.

Family visiting the park to celebrate David's upcoming birthday

The Jaramillo family went to Adventureland Park to celebrate the upcoming birthday of David, Michael's older brother.

The ride has been shut down as officials investigate what went wrong.

The court documents stated, "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."

Guy R. Cook, the lawyer representing the park, said safety has always been the top priority for the amusement park.

"Sadly, the tragic accident was the result of a number of extraordinarily unusual factors coming together. The claims of a lawsuit will be specifically addressed in future court filings," Cook said in the KHQA report.

The Jaramillo Family filed the lawsuit at the Iowa (AP) Supreme Court alleging that the park has failed to properly maintain and repair its rides.

Michael drowned while his eldest sibling was still in a coma. Their father also incurred severe injuries.

The 55-page filing alleges poor maintenance, lack of training, and the manager's decision to operate the ride in Adventureland.

According to an interview in Des Moines Register, Atty. Ryan Best, representing the family, stated that the suit is about making Adventureland's then-owners, who have since sold the park, accountable for the incident.

The suit, which refers to Adventureland by its two-word corporate name Adventure Land, stated that the President of Adventureland and CEO, Michael J. Krantz, is mainly responsible for ensuring that the park rides, such as the Raging River, are adequately funded for maintenance and safety purposes.

The documents further stated that proper maintenance and safety protocols must be followed, and the ride manufacturer's design, installation, operations, and maintenance recommendations should be observed.

The family alleged the ride maintenance and repairs were not swiftly done and cheaply conducted in a sub-standard manner not recommended by a manufacturer, which resulted in the exposure to injury and damage by the patrons of Adventure Land.