The family of six-year-old Lucy Morgan filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Franklin Sports, alleging that a dangerously defective badminton racket caused the fatal head and brain injuries the child suffered during a Maine vacation in June 2024. According to court documents filed in York County, Maine, the aluminum shaft of the racket detached from its wooden handle during a game, pierced the young girl’s skull, and led to her death four days later.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Targets Franklin Sports Over Defective Racket Design
The legal complaint, brought by the Morgan family against Massachusetts-based Franklin Sports, centers on the structural integrity of the badminton set provided by a rental cottage in Limerick, Maine. According to reporting from WCVB and the New York Post, the lawsuit alleges that the aluminum shaft and the wooden handle lacked adequate adhesive and featured no secondary restraint mechanism, such as a pin, to prevent the metal stem from turning into a projectile if the primary bond failed.
The incident occurred in June 2024, during an afternoon family gathering on the final full day of a lakeside vacation. Lucy Morgan was sitting on the sidelines while her 10-year-old brother played in the yard. During a downward swing, the racket broke apart, sending the metal shaft flying through the air and striking Lucy in the head, as detailed by the Daily Mail.
Hospitalization and Medical Intervention in Maine
Emergency responders arrived at the North Shore Drive rental property after Lucy’s father, Jesse Morgan, a pastor at Green Pond Bible Chapel in Rockaway, New Jersey, heard a sudden scream from the yard. Maine State Police records note that the child sustained an unintentional injury from her brother’s play. First responders found her breathing but unresponsive.
EMS transported Lucy to a local hospital before she was airlifted to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Surgeons removed a portion of her skull to relieve mounting intracranial pressure. During the operation, the young girl flatlined. Although medical staff successfully revived her, the impact had caused deep arterial bleeding and severe damage to her brain. Doctors confirmed she had lost all brain function and the ability to breathe independently.
She passed away on June 5, 2024, at approximately 4:00 a.m., four days after the accident. Her family subsequently made the approximately 350-mile journey back to New Jersey without her.
Legal Arguments and Prior Incidents Cited by Counsel
Charles P. Hehmeyer, an attorney representing the Morgan family with the firm Berman & Simmons, described the event as “a parent’s worst nightmare” in statements reported by WCVB. The complaint argues that Franklin Sports failed to adequately warn consumers about the risks of structural separation during ordinary recreational use.
Furthermore, the legal team contends that the manufacturer could have prevented the tragedy by incorporating a simple pin into the handle—a safety modification that would have cost pennies. According to Hehmeyer’s statements in regional reporting, a child in New York had previously lost an eye to a Franklin badminton racket prior to this incident.
The wrongful death lawsuit seeks compensation for funeral expenses, pecuniary loss, emotional distress, and the loss of comfort, society, and companionship. Franklin Sports did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the pending litigation.
