The family of a 6-year-old Florida girl who died after crashing a go-kart into a wall is suing the adventure park, claiming employees never should have allowed the child to take the wheel.
Emma Riddle was fatally injured Dec. 6 during a family visit to Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park in Port St. Lucie. A lawsuit filed Monday in Broward County Circuit Court alleges the park ignored multiple safety requirements before allowing her onto the track.
The complaint was filed on the family’s behalf by the law firm Morgan & Morgan.
“Emma Riddle was a bright, beautiful 6-year-old girl whose life was tragically cut short,” firm founder John Morgan said in a statement. “What was meant to be a joyful family outing became every family’s worst nightmare.”
Morgan said Urban Air had a responsibility to protect children visiting the attraction and alleged the company failed Emma “in the most devastating way imaginable.”
According to the lawsuit, Emma had gone to the park to celebrate her older sister’s birthday. When the family asked to ride the go-karts, an employee reportedly told them that the worker responsible for operating the track had already gone home for the night.
However, the employee allegedly decided to reopen the attraction and operate it alone.
The family’s attorneys claim two employees were required to run the track safely. One worker was supposed to monitor the course for hazards, while another checked riders to make sure they met the requirements to drive.
Despite those rules, the lawsuit alleges Emma was allowed to operate a two-person go-kart even though she was nearly a foot below the manufacturer’s minimum height and 12 years younger than the approved driving age.
The family also claims signs posted at the park contained inaccurate information about who was permitted to drive.
Emma’s mother, Brenda Horrutinier, was seated beside her in the passenger seat. According to the lawsuit, she was unable to pull the seat belt across both of them, but the employee still allowed their kart and four others to enter the track.
The complaint says riders were supposed to receive about one minute to become familiar with the vehicles while traveling at roughly 3 mph. Instead, the employee allegedly skipped that safety step and allowed the karts to immediately reach speeds of up to 10 mph.
Emma reportedly sideswiped one barrier before crashing head-on into another wall. The force of the collision threw her into the steering wheel.
Paramedics rushed the little girl to a hospital, where she died from blunt-force trauma.
“The evidence in this case is deeply troubling,” Morgan & Morgan attorney Thomas Hasty said.
Hasty alleged that decisions made by Urban Air conflicted with state laws, the manufacturer’s recommendations and the company’s own safety policies.
“Emma deserved better, and her family deserves accountability and assurances that Urban Air will never put another child at risk in this way again,” he said.
The lawsuit accuses Urban Air of negligence and alleges that several critical safety protocols were ignored.
According to local NBC affiliate WPTV, the park later agreed to pay the state $300,000 in fines tied to safety violations.
Emma’s mother remembered her daughter in an online fundraiser as a loving child who “touched every soul she met.”
“Though her time with us was far too short, Emma filled every moment with laughter, compassion, and warmth,” the tribute said. “She will forever remain a precious daughter, sister, friend, and a cherished gift from God.”
Urban Air could not immediately be reached for comment about the lawsuit.
Why wasn’t the mother behind the wheel? Hate to say it, but shouldn’t she bear some of the responsibility here?