Family Awarded $19 Million Settlement in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Son's Death at Summer Camp

The family of Lamar McGlothurn, an 8-year-old boy who died at the King Gillette Ranch in Los Angeles on July 9, 2025, has been awarded a $19 million settlement. The lawsuit alleged that the Mountain Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which manages the ranch, and Camp Wildcraft, where Lamar was attending, ignored repeated warnings about the tree's condition.

According to the family's lawsuit, the tree showed obvious signs of decay, and a branch had fallen from the same tree just days before the incident. Insurers for the MRCA contributed $16 million to the settlement, while insurers for Camp Wildcraft and a local landscaping company provided an additional $3 million. The family's parents were present when the tree branch fell, striking Lamar and four other individuals who were hospitalized.

Attorneys for the McGlothurn family stated that camp counselors directed children to gather under the tree shortly before it fell. The lawsuit claimed that MRCA employees were aware of the tree's dangerous condition. An email from an MRCA division chief, sent after a previous branch fell, reportedly stated, "Wow, that was a massive branch." The email also expressed relief that no one was seriously injured, adding, "I would not have been able to sleep at night knowing that branch was just waiting to fall."

Despite these warnings, the family alleges no action was taken to secure the area. Lamar's parents had arrived to pick him up from camp and witnessed the incident, attempting to lift the branch off their son before emergency responders arrived. The lawsuit named the MRCA, Camp Wildcraft, and Gomez Landscape & Tree Care as defendants.

Dash Stolarz, spokesperson for the MRCA, issued a statement expressing condolences to the McGlothurn family and hope that the settlement would provide some solace. Robert Glassman, the family's attorney, emphasized the need for transparency and action when dangerous conditions exist on public property, stating, "We hope this case leads to safer parks and prevents another family from suffering the same unimaginable loss."