MILFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The City of Dearborn has settled a lawsuit in the death of a boy killed playing on a play structure on Camp Dearborn.
Attorney Ven Johnson said the horrific death should have never happened.
Background: Family files suit in 10-year-old’s death at Camp Dearborn in Milford Township
Carson Dunn died in July 2022 after he fell from a floating play structure and hit a step ladder on his way down at Camp Dearborn in Milford Township. His family said he hit his chest so hard that he bled to death and that life-saving efforts were not done in a timely manner.
“He had a torn vena cava,” Johnson said. “A vena cava laceration is what it’s called. We see those in high-speed crashes. So he had a very high-impact, very high-speed, high-velocity strike to the left side of his chest.”
The family hopes it leads to changes that prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The structure, which was rented to the City of Dearborn, included handrails for a ladder to get out of the water that stuck out several feet from the upper platform.
At that time, the structure had only been at Camp Dearborn for about a week.
The City of Dearborn released a statement that reads in part: “The City of Dearborn finalized a settlement agreement in this case in late September. We offer our sincere condolences to Ms. Burgess and her loved ones.”
A scholarship was created in Carson Dunn’s honor. More information can be found here.