A New Jersey family has filed a lawsuit against a sporting goods manufacturer following the death of their 6-year-old daughter, who was fatally injured during a badminton game while the family was vacationing in Maine.
The girl, identified as Lucy Morgan, was from the Stockholm section of Hardyston in Sussex County. According to the family’s legal filing, the incident occurred on June 1, 2024, while the Morgans were staying in Limerick, Maine. Lucy was reportedly watching her siblings play badminton when the metal neck of a racquet being used by her 10-year-old brother separated from its handle mid-swing and struck her in the temple.
The lawsuit states the object penetrated her skull. Family members called emergency services, and Lucy was airlifted to a hospital in Portland, where medical staff attempted to save her. She was later taken off life support and died on July 5, four days after the incident, the filing says.
The suit names Franklin Sports Inc., a Massachusetts-based company, alleging negligence in the manufacturing of the racquet. Franklin Sports has not issued a public response to the allegations as of this report.
The Morgan family is being represented by attorneys Travis M. Brennan and Charles P. Hehmeyer of the Maine-based firm Berman & Simmons, which handles wrongful death cases. Brennan described the case as reflecting a devastating loss for the family and said the legal team intends to pursue accountability from the manufacturer.
The complaint seeks damages allowed under Maine law, including funeral costs, pecuniary losses, and compensation for emotional distress and loss of companionship.
According to attorney Hehmeyer, a similar incident involving a Franklin Sports badminton racquet reportedly caused an eye injury to another child in New York prior to this case.