GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — A jury has awarded $205 million to the family of Wongel Estifanos, a young girl who tragically lost her life on a ride at an amusement park in Glenwood Springs in 2021. The verdict was reached on Friday, concluding a lawsuit over her death.
Wongel, only six years old, died during the Labor Day weekend in 2021 while riding the Haunted Mine Drop at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Reports indicate that she fell from her seat as the ride dropped 110 feet into a tunnel. According to her family’s lawsuit, the ride did not have her secured in the safety harness.
The suit, filed by Wongel’s parents, Estifanos Dagne and Rahel Estifanos, claims the park exhibited a pattern of recklessness and inadequate training, naming Glenwood Caverns Holdings, the ride’s design company Soaring Eagle, and two operators as defendants. The family alleges that safety warnings regarding seat belt inspections were disregarded, with the park allegedly failing to report violations that occurred in 2018 and 2019. According to court documents, Wongel was not properly buckled when the ride began.
The family’s attorney, Dan Caplis, expressed hope that the jury’s decision would bring about change to enhance safety measures at amusement parks. “For years, Glenwood Caverns has denied any responsibility for Wongel’s tragic death,” he stated. “This trial was a necessary step to uncover the truth and to advocate for the safety of future visitors.”
The family expressed gratitude towards the jury and the supportive community in Garfield County, where the trial took place. Investigators found that the ride’s safety system had been tampered with, allowing the ride to operate without alerting operators that Wongel was unrestrained. The ride operators had recently been hired, raising concerns about their training.
The jury concluded that the defendants were liable for a total of $205 million, including $82 million in non-economic damages and $123 million in punitive damages. Caplis noted that Glenwood Caverns and Soaring Eagle were primarily responsible for the damages, with the amusement park bearing the full burden of the punitive award.
A spokesperson for Glenwood Caverns articulated concerns about the repercussions of the jury’s financial ruling. Kimberly Marcum stated that the determination places the future of the park in jeopardy and could threaten local jobs. She attributed significant responsibility for the accident to Soaring Eagle, claiming that the restraint system was defective and expressed that the company had misrepresented the ride’s compliance with safety standards.
Following the incident, Glenwood Caverns collaborated with independent engineers to redesign the Haunted Mine Drop in an effort to prevent similar accidents in the future. Marcum reiterated the park’s commitment to safety and acknowledged the lingering impacts of Wongel’s tragic death.
This ruling comes as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols in amusement parks, raising awareness about the necessity for rigorous training and compliance with safety regulations to protect patrons.
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