The heartbroken parents of a young girl from Texas, who tragically lost her life during a scuba certification class, are seeking justice through a lawsuit against two organizations. They assert that their daughter’s untimely death was entirely preventable.
On August 16, 2025, 12-year-old Dylan Harrison participated in a private open water scuba class, which her parents had arranged through Scubatoys, a local dive shop, as reported by FOX 4.
Upon reaching The Scuba Ranch, the designated training site located in Terrell, the family was informed that Dylan would be part of a group consisting of seven students. This arrangement was a departure from what the family had likely expected for a private class.
Before the class commenced, the lawsuit claims that the divemaster reassured Dylan’s parents by promising, “I will not take my eyes off your daughter,” offering them a sense of security that would later turn out to be tragically misplaced.
Tragically, Dylan Harrison drowned during this scuba session in Terrell, Texas, on that fateful August day in 2025. Her parents’ lawsuit aims to highlight the failures that led to this heartbreaking incident.
Adding complexity to the situation, the lawsuit notes that William Armstrong, who held the position of Assistant Chief Deputy for the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, was working as a part-time scuba instructor at the time. He had completed a full day as a deputy, followed by an overnight shift as a security officer at an investment firm, leaving concerns about his capacity to safely oversee the class, according to FOX 4.
As Dylan and her 12-year-old swimming buddy entered the water, Armstrong allegedly did not check if Dylan was properly weighted, the lawsuit reportedly states.
Dylan was last seen alive when the class initially entered the water at 9:36 a.m. and resurfaced at 10:12 a.m. after a miscommunication with a student.
Dylan Harrison died in a scuba diving accident while taking a class at the Scuba Ranch in Terrell, Texas on Aug. 16, 2025, according to a lawsuit. (Google Maps)
The lawsuit alleges that emergency services were not called to the scene until about 15 minutes later.
“Based on the amount of air left in [Dylan’s] scuba tank on the surface before she went missing and the amount of air left in the tank when she was found, it can be surmised that [she] was alive and breathing off her tank for several minutes after she was last seen,” the lawsuit revealed, according to FOX 4. “During this time, [Dylan] was alone, in poor visibility, and unable to reach the surface.”
Following the incident, Armstrong resigned from his position with the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
The private open water class was reportedly purchased from Scubatoys in Carrollton, Texas, according to the lawsuit. (Google Maps)
The 40-page lawsuit alleges Dylan’s death was preventable and the result of multiple failures after the industry turned a blind eye to safety concerns for several years.
Attorneys for the Harrison family reportedly point to a 2017 video of a staff meeting, in which Scubatoy owner Joe Johnson allegedly made dismissive comments about the safety protocols within the company’s classes, FOX 4 reported.
“All I know is we’ve killed, what? 4 people? 5 people? And we’ve never even done a deposition,” Johnson said in the video. “Our insurance company just settles. John Witherspoon says we can kill two people a year and ‘we are fine.’”
Scubatoys, NAUI, PADI, the Scuba Ranch and the Harrison family’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney representing Armstrong.
