Family of 11-year-old who died in Adventureland incident files claim against state

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - The family of the 11-year-old boy that died after a raft on the Raging River at Adventureland flipped over last year has filed a lawsuit against the state.

Michael Jaramillo, 11, who was a student at Linn-Mar, died after a raft on the ride capsized, pinning the riders underwater. Michael’s older brother David was seriously injured in the incident, spending a month in the hospital. David Sr., the father, shattered his shoulder attempting to lift the raft after it flipped.

The Jaramillo family had previously filed a lawsuit against the park, alleging that no staff from the park came to help and the ride was allowed to continue to operate, with thousands of pounds of water continuing down the river despite the parents’ screams for help.

Now, the family is suing the state, noting that the Iowa Division of Labor had given the Raging River ride a safety inspection and passed it with a “satisfactory” mark just a day before the tragic incident.

The lawsuit claims that 17 separate safety violations were found after the incident and that the State of Iowa failed to meet its duty to protect the public.

The family is seeking a reported $98 million.

The Raging River Ride was closed in July 2021 following the incident, and it remains closed in 2022. Adventureland has since been purchased by Palace Entertainment.

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