A child visiting Florida on vacation was recently killed while playing miniature golf at the Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee. 11-year-old Ashton Jojo of Latham, New York was reportedly playing miniature golf with her family when she attempted to retrieve a lost ball. According to witnesses, Jojo fell into a 2-foot-deep pond and screamed. Another guest at the resort, Christopher Burges, responded to her screams and was allegedly injured as he attempted to pull Jojo out of the pond. Emergency rescue crews took Jojo to Celebration Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
According to the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office, the cause of Jojo’s death was electrocution. A spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Ginette Rodriguez, stated the resort is unsure how the water came to be electrified. Rodriguez also stated the Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the cause of the incident. Following the accident, the miniature golf course was closed indefinitely.
Each year, millions of children and their families travel to Florida from across the globe in order to visit the many resorts, amusement parks, and theme parks our state has to offer. Unfortunately, many deaths in Florida result from tragic and unnecessary accidents like this one. Although unexpectedly losing a loved is always devastating, it can be particularly difficult to accept when your loss was due to a property owner’s negligence.
If you lost a family member as a result of an unsafe condition on someone else’s property, you may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit. The close relatives of someone killed in an accident will generally have up to two years to sue for wrongful death in the State of Florida. No amount of money can make up for the loss of your loved one, but it may help relieve some of your financial burden. If you lost a loved one due to a hazardous property condition, it is a good idea to contact a premises liability attorney to discuss your options.
If you or a loved one was hurt or killed while visiting a Florida attraction, contact Lazarus & Lazarus, P.A. Our dedicated South Florida wrongful death attorneys have experience helping both tourists and Florida residents recover damages for their own injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one that was caused by a malfunctioning or defective condition at a tourist attraction. The lawyers at Lazarus & Lazarus assist individuals who were hurt by unsafe conditions on property located in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Weston, and throughout Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach Counties. To speak with a skilled personal injury lawyer today, call the law firm of Lazarus & Lazarus at (954) 356-0006 or contact our hardworking attorneys through our website.
More Blogs:
Retired Astronaut Killed in Pensacola Beach Jet-Ski Crash, Florida Personal Injury Attorney Blog, July 7, 2012
Two Men Killed After Drunk Driver Crashes Into Historic Liberty City Restaurant, Florida Personal Injury Attorney Blog, July 3, 2012
Additional Resources:
New York girl electrocuted at Florida mini-golf course, by Barbara Liston, Reuters
Resort: 11-year-old girl electrocuted at mini-golf course in Florida, by Andrew Mach, msnbc.com
Photo credit: vivekchugh, Stock.xchng
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