FAMILY OF 6-YEAR-OLD GIRL FILES LAWSUIT AFTER FATAL BADMINTON RACKET ACCIDENT

MAINE — What was supposed to be a peaceful family vacation ended in unimaginable tragedy when 6-year-old Lucy Morgan suffered a catastrophic head injury after a badminton racket broke during play.

Now, more than two years later, her family is seeking answers — and accountability.

Lucy, from Stockholm, New Jersey, was vacationing with her family at a lake house in Limerick, Maine, on June 1, 2024. Her older siblings were playing badminton while Lucy and another sibling watched nearby.

According to a wrongful-death lawsuit filed against Franklin Sports, the racket’s metal shaft separated from its handle during an ordinary swing. The exposed metal portion reportedly flew through the air and struck Lucy in the temple, penetrating her skull.

Lucy was rushed to the hospital and later airlifted to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Despite emergency treatment, she died from her injuries four days later, on June 5, 2024.

NOW HER FAMILY IS SUING THE MANUFACTURER

The Morgan family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in York County Superior Court against Franklin Sports, alleging that the racket was defectively designed and manufactured.

The lawsuit claims the connection between the handle and metal shaft was inadequate and that the racket lacked a secondary safety mechanism that could have prevented the metal portion from becoming a projectile if the connection failed.

The family also alleges that Franklin Sports failed to adequately warn consumers about the potential danger.

Franklin Sports had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.

A PREVIOUS INCIDENT HAS ALSO COME UNDER SCRUTINY

The family’s attorney has pointed to an earlier incident involving a Franklin badminton racket in New York, saying another child suffered a serious eye injury after a racket reportedly separated.

The attorney argues that the earlier incident should have prompted additional safety measures.

A Maine newspaper reported that Franklin Sports reached a settlement with a New York family in 2012 following a similar racket-related injury.

The company has not publicly acknowledged the allegations in the new lawsuit.

A FAMILY’S WORST NIGHTMARE

Lucy’s three siblings reportedly witnessed the accident, while her parents heard her screams and rushed to help.

Her family’s lawsuit seeks damages including funeral expenses, emotional distress and losses associated with Lucy’s death and the trauma experienced by her surviving siblings.

The family’s attorney described the case as “a parent’s worst nightmare.”

For the Morgans, the lawsuit is not simply about compensation.

They say they want to make sure another family never experiences the same tragedy.

Lucy was only 6 years old.

A family vacation.

A simple game.

One unexpected equipment failure.

And a little girl whose life was suddenly taken away.

Now, her family hopes the legal case will bring accountability — and possibly prevent another child from suffering the same fate.

The allegations against Franklin Sports are contained in a civil lawsuit and have not been proven in court. The company had not responded to requests for comment when the reports were published.