A New Jersey family has filed a wrongful-death and product-liability lawsuit against Franklin Sports after their 6-year-old daughter, Lucy Morgan, died following a devastating badminton accident during a family vacation in Maine.

Lucy was visiting Limerick with her parents and siblings on June 1, 2024, when a badminton racket being used by her 10-year-old brother suddenly separated. According to police and court documents, the metal shaft detached from the racket’s handle and struck Lucy in the head, causing catastrophic injuries.

The family had been staying at a rental cottage near a lake, and the badminton equipment was reportedly provided as part of the property. Lucy’s older siblings were playing outside while she was nearby when the accident occurred. The family’s lawsuit says the metal portion of the racket became detached during ordinary use and traveled through the air before striking Lucy in the temple and penetrating her skull.

Lucy was initially taken to Southern Maine Health Care in Sanford. Because of the severity of her injuries, she was later flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where doctors performed emergency surgery. Despite efforts to save her, she died four days later, on June 5, 2024.

Her death devastated the Morgan family, who had been enjoying what was supposed to be a peaceful family vacation. Lucy’s three siblings witnessed the accident, according to the lawsuit, while her parents heard her cries and rushed to help.

More than two years after Lucy’s death, the family has now taken legal action against Franklin Sports, the Mᴀssachusetts-based company that manufactured the badminton set. The lawsuit was filed in York County Superior Court in Maine on August 17, 2026.

The complaint alleges that the racket was defectively designed and manufactured and that its handle and metal shaft were not adequately secured. The family claims the adhesive used to connect the components was insufficient and that the racket lacked an additional safety mechanism that could have prevented the metal shaft from becoming detached and turning into a dangerous projectile.

The lawsuit also alleges that Franklin Sports failed to provide adequate warnings about the possibility that the racket could separate during normal use. The family’s attorneys argue that the product should have been designed with safeguards capable of preventing such a failure.

Attorneys representing the Morgan family have also pointed to an earlier incident involving a Franklin badminton racket. According to reporting from the Portland Press Herald, lawyer Charles Hehmeyer said a child in New York suffered permanent injuries after a similar racket separated. The newspaper reported that Franklin Sports reached a settlement with that family in 2012. The attorneys representing Lucy’s family argue that the earlier incident should have prompted additional safety measures.

Those claims are part of the family’s lawsuit and have not been established in court. Franklin Sports has not accepted responsibility for Lucy’s death.

In a statement to Fox News, the company expressed sympathy for Lucy’s family and said it could not comment specifically on the allegations because litigation is pending. Franklin Sports said it takes product safety seriously and is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the accident.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, although the complaint does not specify a particular dollar amount. The family is seeking compensation for funeral expenses, emotional distress and the loss of Lucy’s companionship and presence in their lives. The complaint also describes the emotional impact on Lucy’s siblings, who attorneys say witnessed the incident.

Lucy has continued to be remembered by her family as much more than the victim of a tragic accident. Her father, Jesse Morgan, a pastor in New Jersey, previously wrote about the family’s final day in Maine and the shock of losing their daughter.

In the weeks surrounding her death, Lucy had also been keeping a small prayer journal. Her father later said the journal was found inside her backpack after the family returned home. It contained drawings and Bible-related notes that became an important source of comfort for the family during their grief.

Her father described Lucy as a lively child with a strong personality. He said she could be reserved at times but became outspoken and playful once she was comfortable with people. Her family has spoken publicly about the enormous absence created by her death and the lasting impact on her parents and siblings.

The case now places the safety and design of consumer sporting equipment at the center of a legal dispute. The Morgan family’s attorneys argue that a relatively ordinary recreational activity became fatal because the racket allegedly lacked sufficient protection against a foreseeable mechanical failure. Franklin Sports, meanwhile, has indicated that it intends to address the matter through the legal process.

For the Morgan family, the lawsuit is not only about financial compensation. Their attorneys say they want the company to examine the design of the rackets and take steps to prevent another family from experiencing a similar tragedy.

The lawsuit will now move through the Maine court system, where the allegations against Franklin Sports will be tested against evidence and the company’s response. Until the case is resolved, the family’s claims remain allegations rather than established findings.

More than two years after Lucy Morgan’s death, the legal action has brought renewed attention to a heartbreaking accident that began during an ordinary family vacation. What was intended to be a simple game of badminton ended with the loss of a young child, leaving her family to live with the consequences while the court considers whether the equipment involved was defective and whether additional safety measures could have prevented the tragedy.

Sources: Fox News, WGME.