Kaleb Ortega died after being crushed by a monument at a park
What began as a family outing at a park in Washington state ended in tragedy when a 3-year-old boy was crushed by a large stone monument that toppled over within seconds, according to a lawsuit filed by his parents.Kaleb Ortega died after the monument fell on him at Rooks Park in Walla Walla on April 1. The young boy had been at the park with his father, Miguel Ortega, and his five-year-old sister when the incident occurred.His parents, Miguel Ortega and Claudia Garcia, have now launched legal action against several companies involved in the monument’s design, construction and installation.According to the lawsuit filed, the monument commemorating US Naval Captain Albert H. Rooks and the USS Houston CA-30 was excessively heavy and insufficiently supported.The suit alleges the structure “fell in a matter of seconds and crushed Kaleb”.First responders rushed the child to hospital, but he later died from his injuries.The tragedy became even more devastating for the family because Kaleb’s mother was working as a nurse at the same hospital when her son was brought in by ambulance.Garcia witnessed the emergency efforts to save her son’s life. This experience the lawsuit says caused severe emotional trauma.The family is seeking damages for wrongful death as well as emotional distress suffered by Kaleb’s parents and his sister, who witnessed the incident first hand.In the aftermath of the tragedy, a fundraising page was launched to support the family.”On what started as a normal, happy day filled with play, an unimaginable accident occurred that took Kaleb from us far too soon,” the GoFundMe page states.”No one could have anticipated the heartbreak that would follow.””Kaleb was a joyful, busy little boy who filled every moment with life.””He was always on the move, happiest when he was playing, exploring, and especially when he was with his big sister, his best friend. The two of them spent hours together, laughing, playing, and making memories that their family will hold onto forever.”The page also recalled his love for monster trucks.”Kaleb had a special love for monster trucks and took such pride in his collection. Each night before bed, he would carefully line them up, showing his sweet and thoughtful little personality.””His smile and those beautiful, bright eyes could light up a room, and he was deeply loved by everyone who knew him. He brought so much joy to his family and friends, and being with him was something truly special.”The lawsuit argues that park visitors should have been warned about the potential risk posed by the monument and alleges negligence in its design, construction or maintenance.Among those named as defendants are Boulder Designs, Boulder Designs Franchising LLC, Border Magic, Builders FirstSource Inc., American Rock Products, Wenzel Nursery, Double T Construction Ltd., Neil Binder and the Binder marital community.The US Army Corps of Engineers, which operates Rooks Park, temporarily closed the site for two weeks after the incident and fenced off the area. The monument has since been removed.The defendants had been served with notice of the lawsuit but had not yet filed responses.
