The family of a 6-year-old New Jersey girl who died after a badminton racket broke apart and pierced her skull during a vacation in Maine has filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts-based company that made the sports equipment.
“This case represents a parent’s worst nightmare,” said attorney Charles P. Hehmeyer, who is representing the family. “The Morgan family was enjoying an idyllic summer vacation here in Maine when they lost Lucy due to what we allege was a dangerous and defective piece of sports equipment.”
The wrongful death and product liability lawsuit claims Franklin Sports sold a badminton racket that was defective and unreasonably dangerous, alleging it failed during ordinary use and caused its metal shaft to become a projectile.
Lucy Morgan was on vacation with her parents and siblings in Limerick, Maine, on June 1, 2024, when the fatal incident occurred.
Jesse Morgan and his children, including 6-year-old Lucy Morgan, spend time on the water during the family’s Maine vacation in 2024. (Jesse Morgan via New Creation Living Blog)
According to Maine State Police, Lucy’s 10-year-old brother was playing outside when the racket’s aluminum shaft separated from its wooden handle. Authorities said the shaft hit Lucy in the head and penetrated her skull.
Lucy was first brought to Southern Maine Health Care in Sanford, then airlifted to Maine Medical Center in Portland. She died there on June 5, 2024, police said.
Lucy Morgan, 6, during the family’s vacation in Maine. (Jesse Morgan via New Creation Living Blog)
According to a copy of the complaint reviewed by WCVB 5, the Franklin badminton set had been supplied at the family’s rental cottage.
The lawsuit alleges the racket’s handle and metal shaft were not adequately secured, the adhesive joining the pieces was defective or insufficient, and the design lacked a secondary restraint that could have prevented the metal portion from flying free. The family also alleges Franklin Sports failed to warn consumers about the risk.
Hehmeyer told WCVB 5 that the case was not Franklin Sports’ first issue involving a racket separating. He said a child in New York lost an eye when a racket came apart, and alleged the company knew of that case but failed to make a fix.
“The company knew that but chose not to correct this with something as simple as a pin in the handle, which would cost pennies,” Hehmeyer told the outlet.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, though it does not list a specific dollar figure. The family is seeking funeral expenses, emotional distress damages, loss of comfort, society and companionship, and other relief permitted under Maine law.
According to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Lucy’s three siblings witnessed the incident and suffered “severe emotional distress.” Her parents heard her screaming and ran to her aid, the complaint alleges.
Lucy died from her injuries four days later, the family said. (Jesse Morgan via New Creation Living Blog)
Lucy’s father, Jesse Morgan, a pastor at Green Pond Bible Chapel in Rockaway, New Jersey, previously wrote that the family had been spending its final full day at a lake cottage when the children decided to play badminton in the front yard.
In the days following Lucy’s death, Jesse Morgan shared the faith that sustained his family through their grief. He told News Outlet that a friend returned Lucy’s backpack after the family came home from Maine, and inside was the prayer journal she had received about a month before she died. The journal contained drawings, Bible-themed notes and messages about her belief in God, her father said.
Jesse Morgan told News Outlet he had no doubt Lucy “loved Christ and loved God,” and that God welcomed her into heaven. He described discovering the journal as one of the “most beautiful gifts” amid the family’s loss, adding that he believed his daughter had “the faith of a mustard seed.”
Franklin Sports told News Outlet it “extends its deepest sympathies to Lucy Morgan’s family and all those affected by this tragic accident.”
“Because litigation is pending, we cannot comment on the specific allegations in the lawsuit,” the company said. Franklin Sports added that it takes product-safety concerns “very seriously,” is committed to product quality and safety, and is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
News Outlet reached out to attorneys for the Morgan family for comment.
