Iowa amusement park's former owner settles lawsuit over 11-year-old's drowning
An Iowa amusement park's former operator has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of an 11-year-old boy who drowned on a water ride in 2021.
A company that previously owned Adventureland park in the Des Moines suburb of Altoona, along with its former CEO and three managers, reached a settlement with the family of Michael Jaramillo on Sunday. Jury selection had been scheduled to start Monday for a trial over the lawsuit brought by the family. The settlement terms are confidential.
Michael Jaramillo, his parents, two brothers and another family member were strapped into a 1,700-pound (770-kilogram) raft on the Raging River ride on July 3, 2021, when it flipped over. All six hit their heads on the surface under the water, but Michael Jaramillo and one of his brothers could not get out of their seatbelts and were trapped, head-down, underwater for about 10 minutes, according to the family.
The lawsuit alleged that for years, Adventureland failed to properly maintain and repair its rides, including the Raging River. It also said the park continued to operate the water ride on the day of the accident despite reports of serious problems.
The park's former owner, Adventure Lands of America, former CEO Michael Krantz, and the three managers, denied that the ride had been operated improperly or insufficiently supervised. But Fred Dorr, an attorney for the family, said Tuesday that their lawyers believe they built a strong case that the park and its employees were responsible.
'Imagine the terror going on in those kids' minds,' Dorr said. 'And then you turn to the jury and say, 'What's that worth, to watch your child die like that?'
An attorney for Adventure Lands of America did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Tuesday. However, in answering the lawsuit, the defendants said the accident resulted from 'a series of unexpected and intended factors' and that, in the 38 years the ride operated before the accident, no raft had overturned.
Krantz is a member of a Des Moines-area family that began operating Adventureland in the 1970s and sold it and other affiliated assets months after the accident to the subsidiary of an international amusement park company based in Spain.
In March, Herschend, a company based in the Atlanta area, purchased the Spanish company's U.S. properties, including Adventureland. Herschend operates the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee and Silver Dollar City near Branson, Missouri.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News24
30 minutes ago
- News24
Joshua Jackson in custody battle with his ex-wife over daughter's schooling
The ink has barely dried on Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith's divorce papers, and already the exes are locked in a bitter legal dispute over their shared parenting arrangement. The Doctor Odyssey star has filed an emergency custody review, claiming his ex-wife enrolled their five-year-old daughter, Juno, in a new school without his consent. In the documents, obtained by People magazine, Joshua (46) alleges that Jodie (38) believes, 'it's no big deal to force Juno to start over with a new school'. He also complains that the new school is 45 minutes away from his home, making regular drop-offs and pick-ups nearly impossible for him. However, Joshua's concern goes beyond the school change itself. 'Jodie is attempting to create a scenario where Juno travels with her rather than attending a traditional school,' he claims. The Dawson's Creek star wants the court to order that their daughter remains in her current school in Calabasas, in Los Angeles, for the upcoming academic year. He also wants it stipulated that both parents must agree before any future school changes can be made. View this post on Instagram A post shared by THE AGENCY: CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE (@theagency_sho) Joshua and Jodie met at a 2018 party hosted by R&B singer Usher. They married in secret a year later before welcoming Juno in April 2020. In October 2023, the British model and actress filed for divorce on the grounds of 'irreconcilable differences'. Joshua recently told USA Today that he believes Jodie is attempting to change their daughter's schooling so there is more flexibility for Juno to accompany her when she needs to travel for work. READ MORE| 'I don't think of it as a failure' – Jodie Turner-Smith on divorcing Joshua Jackson He says he thinks maintaining educational stability is important for their daughter's well-being during her formative years – something he didn't experience as a child actor. 'I started acting at a young age. I have spent a lot of time with on-set or on-location tutors,' he said. 'Even in the best case, it cannot begin to provide a child with the same nurturing and enrichment, peer relationships and social skills that a classroom and school community environment provides.' He added that Juno has already endured a lot of changes, from their divorce to her home burning down during the LA wildfires in January, so she doesn't need any more turmoil. 'Unnecessary school change cannot be in her interests.' Jodie is yet to speak publicly on the matter. Despite their legal woes, it seems they're both moving on with their lives. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joshua Jackson (@vancityjax) Jodie currently stars in The Agency as Dr Sami Zahir, an academic who becomes romantically involved with an undercover CIA agent. Describing her role she says, 'I love playing a dark-skinned Sudanese woman speaking Arabic on this show. I believe it's one of the most beautiful languages on this planet and I hope that Arabic-speaking people feel represented.' She is also set to be filming in London throughout next year. Meanwhile, Joshua is gearing up to return to his home in LA, which had to be rebuilt after being destroyed in the wildfires.
News24
30 minutes ago
- News24
New Gauteng number plate finally unveiled
Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Start your FREE trial now Show Comments ()
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 Recession-Proof Stocks to Buy and Hold
Even amid an uncertain economic environment, reliable companies can be found. Zoetis helps people care for pets, which many consider as honorary family members. HCA Healthcare offers services in high demand, regardless of economic conditions. 10 stocks we like better than Zoetis › President Trump's trade policies are sparking concerns about a potential recession. Though it's hard to predict an upcoming economic downturn, it's never a bad idea for investors to buy shares of companies that can perform relatively well even in bad times. These corporations often have robust underlying businesses built to deliver consistent results and superior returns over the long run. Here are two great examples for investors to consider: Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS) and HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA). Zoetis, a leading animal health company, has faced some challenges over the past year. The company's recent financial results weren't great, and it is dealing with increased competition for some of its growth drivers, including Apoquel, a medicine to treat allergic itch in dogs. However, as Zoetis points out, there is significant whitespace in this niche. It estimates that 13 million dogs are eligible for the medicine but aren't on any prescription, and another 7 million are undertreated. The company currently treats 12 million dogs with Apoquel and Cytopoint, a similar medicine. Although Zoetis markets products for livestock, poultry, and other animals, the company's work with pets, particularly cats and dogs, is one of the primary reasons it can survive a recession relatively unscathed. People view their pets as family members and are more than willing to pay a significant amount to ensure they are well cared for. The increased humanization of pets should also be a significant long-term growth driver for Zoetis, a trend that is particularly prevalent among younger generations, who are less likely to have children than older ones. It might be pushing it to say that pets are the new kids, but it's not too far from the truth for many pet owners. The rest of Zoetis' business grants it significant diversity. The animal health leader generally grows its revenue at rates faster than the industry average, something it has been able to do for a while, despite competition, through the continuous development of newer medicines. Two of its more recent important approvals, Solensia and Librela that treat osteoarthritis pain in cats and dogs, respectively, are becoming key growth drivers, too. So, despite being slightly in the red over the trailing-12-month period, Zoetis is well-equipped to handle a recession if one is coming, while delivering strong returns in the long run. Lastly, the stock is also an excellent pick for income seekers despite its unimpressive forward yield of 1.2%. Zoetis has increased its payouts by 502% in the past decade. Whether it's for dividends or growth, the healthcare specialist is a great option. HCA Healthcare's business remains in high demand even in recessions. The company is a leading hospital chain in the U.S., and even during economic downturns, people still require critical medical care. True, some procedures performed in the company's facilities are optional. Even for those that aren't, patients may sometimes postpone them when things get tough. So, there will be an impact on the company's results, but it should be fairly minimal. Over the past year, the company has faced another source of headwinds. Various natural disasters, including hurricanes, impacted its financial results in some areas, resulting in lower revenue than anticipated. Still, HCA Healthcare continues to deliver decent updates. In the first quarter, the company's revenue increased by a modest 5.7% year over year to $18.3 billion. Its earnings per share came in at $6.45, up 8.8% compared to the year-ago period. Despite this headwind, HCA Healthcare's long-term prospects are attractive. An aging population that will require more medical care should lead to increased spending on precisely the kinds of services it offers. HCA Healthcare has also deepened its relationships with physicians, patients, and third-party payers over time, partly through the adoption of more services. It would be challenging for any newcomer to seriously challenge HCA Healthcare, considering the ecosystem it has already built, which arguably grants it a network effect. Although there is competition, HCA Healthcare has generally increased its market share over the past decade. The stock should continue delivering superior returns long after the next recession hits, whenever that happens. Before you buy stock in Zoetis, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Zoetis wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $668,538!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $869,841!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 789% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 Prosper Junior Bakiny has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Zoetis. The Motley Fool recommends HCA Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Recession-Proof Stocks to Buy and Hold was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
