In Santa Clarita, California, a family’s enjoyable summer day at Six Flags Magic Mountain turned tragic when a roller coaster ride resulted in the death of their oldest son. The family has filed a lawsuit against the theme park and the roller coaster manufacturer.
The incident occurred during a visit in June 2022 when two brothers and their cousin were looking forward to a day of fun. However, their happiness turned to sorrow after they experienced a ride on the X2 roller coaster.
The younger brother, Alex Hawley, noticed his older brother, Christopher Hawley, didn’t look well when he got off the ride.
After the ride, Christopher, the family’s oldest son, displayed concerning symptoms. Alex Hawley described Christopher as appearing very red and unwell before collapsing as they were leaving the ride.
According to the family’s attorney, Christopher Hawley was rushed to a nearby hospital and died the following day. A wrongful death lawsuit filed against the theme park and the ride manufacturer alleges the 22-year-old suffered massive head and brain damage from the ride.
“The type of injuries that Christopher suffered and the timing of when he got off the ride gives us strength and confidence to believe that at the time of trial, we’ll be able to show this was not an injury he suffered earlier in the day or some time prior in his life, but happened during the X2 ride,” said family attorney Ari Friedman, a partner at Wisner Baum.
Records from the L.A. County medical examiner showed blunt head trauma as the cause of death.
On its website, the theme park describes speeds of nearly 80 miles per hour for the roller coaster.
Christopher Hawley’s younger brother remembers a sudden halt when they were on the ride.
“Our heads just like went forward and then just like all the way slammed back really hard,” Alex Hawley said.
Christopher’s mother, Anne Hawley, said he didn’t suffer from any health issues. Nearly three years later, she can’t adjust to life without her oldest son.
“It’s supposed to be the four of us. We weren’t supposed to lose one of our boys and not that way,” she said.
Christopher Hawley was an aspiring actor. He had just graduated from college, and was weeks shy of his 23rd birthday at the time of his death.
“He was my son, but he was also a friend. We did so much,” Christopher’s father, William Hawley, said with tears in his eyes.
ABC Los Angeles affiliate KABC reached out to the theme park, but had not heard back as of Tuesday afternoon. As this family prepares for trial, they are demanding answers.
“We want to know. We’ve not heard anything from Magic Mountain. There’s been no explanation as to what happened or why things happened,” William Hawley said.
Friedman said the trial is set to start Oct. 13 in L.A. County Superior Court.
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