A New Jersey family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Franklin Sports, alleging that a badminton racket supplied at a Maine vacation rental was defectively designed and became dangerously separated during normal use, resulting in the death of their 6-year-old daughter.

The lawsuit was filed in York County Superior Court on August 17, 2026, more than two years after Lucy Morgan suffered the fatal injury while her family was vacationing in Limerick, Maine.

According to the complaint, Lucy was near her siblings while they were playing badminton outside the family’s rental cottage on June 1, 2024.

Her older brother was using a Franklin badminton racket when part of the racket allegedly separated from the handle.

The metal shaft traveled through the air and struck Lucy in the temple, penetrating her skull, according to Maine State Police and the family’s lawsuit.

She was rushed to a hospital in Sanford before being transported by air to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Lucy died four days later, on June 5, 2024.

AN ORDINARY FAMILY VACATION CHANGED IN SECONDS
The Morgan family had traveled from New Jersey to Maine for a vacation.

According to an account previously shared by Lucy’s father, Jesse Morgan, the family was spending its final full day at the lake when the children decided to play badminton in the yard.

Lucy was not playing with the racket herself, according to the family’s account. She was nearby while her siblings played.

Her parents were behind the house when they heard screaming.

The lawsuit alleges that Lucy’s parents immediately ran toward her after hearing what had happened.

The complaint describes the injury as catastrophic.

According to the family’s filing, Lucy was conscious immediately afterward and pulled the metal portion away before collapsing.

She was transported for emergency medical treatment, and doctors performed surgery after she arrived at Maine Medical Center.

Despite those efforts, she died several days later.

THE FAMILY IS NOW SUING FRANKLIN SPORTS
The lawsuit names Franklin Sports Inc., the Massachusetts-based company that manufactured and sold the badminton equipment.

The Morgan family alleges the racket was defective and unreasonably dangerous.

Among the allegations in the complaint are that:

the racket’s handle and metal shaft were not adequately secured;
the adhesive connecting the components was defective or insufficient;
the design did not include a secondary safety mechanism to prevent the metal portion from becoming a projectile if the connection failed; and
consumers were not adequately warned about the possibility of the racket separating during ordinary use.
These are allegations contained in a civil lawsuit and have not been established in court.

The family is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, along with other relief allowed under Maine law.

The filing also seeks damages related to funeral expenses and the emotional suffering experienced by Lucy’s parents and siblings.

THREE SIBLINGS WITNESSED THE INCIDENT
The lawsuit says Lucy’s three siblings witnessed the accident.

The family alleges that the children experienced severe emotional distress as a result.

Lucy was the youngest of the children involved in the family vacation, and the incident happened in front of siblings who had been playing an ordinary backyard game.

The lawsuit argues that the consequences extended beyond Lucy’s physical injuries, affecting the entire family.

Her parents also rushed to her aid after hearing her screams.

The family’s attorneys have described the incident as an example of how a seemingly ordinary recreational product can become dangerous if a component unexpectedly fails.

THE FAMILY SAYS THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN EARLIER WARNING
One of the more significant allegations surrounding the lawsuit involves an earlier incident involving a badminton racket.

Attorney Charles Hehmeyer, representing the Morgan family, told local media that Franklin Sports had previously faced a case involving a child in New York who suffered a serious eye injury after a badminton racket separated.

According to the Portland Press Herald, that earlier case resulted in a settlement in 2012.

The attorney alleges that the earlier incident should have prompted a change in the racket’s design.

Hehmeyer has specifically argued that a relatively simple additional safety feature could have prevented the metal component from separating and becoming a projectile.

However, those claims are part of the family’s legal allegations and statements from its attorneys. They have not been established as facts by a court in the current case.

FRANKLIN SPORTS RESPONDS
Franklin Sports has acknowledged the lawsuit but has not addressed its specific allegations.

In a statement reported by Boston.com, the company expressed sympathy for Lucy’s family and others affected by the incident.

The company said it takes product quality and safety concerns seriously and is reviewing the circumstances.

Because the lawsuit is pending, Franklin Sports said it could not comment on the specific allegations.

That means several central questions remain unresolved.

Was the racket defective?

Was the connection between the shaft and handle improperly manufactured?

Could an additional safety mechanism have prevented the accident?

And, if the company had information about an earlier similar incident, did it have a legal responsibility to make changes or provide additional warnings?

Those questions will now be addressed through the civil litigation.

LUCY’S FATHER REMEMBERS HER AS A CHILD WHO LOVED HER FAITH
In the aftermath of Lucy’s death, her father shared memories of his daughter and the family’s attempt to cope with the loss.

Jesse Morgan, who is a pastor in New Jersey, later discovered a prayer journal that Lucy had received approximately one month before the accident.

According to her father, the journal contained drawings, Bible-related notes and messages reflecting her faith.

He described finding the journal as an especially meaningful moment for the family after returning home from Maine.

For her family, the lawsuit is not simply about compensation.

Their attorneys say they want to determine whether changes to the product could prevent another family from experiencing something similar.

A TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED DURING A FAMILY HOLIDAY
What makes Lucy’s story particularly difficult for the family is how ordinary the circumstances appeared.

There was no unusual activity or extreme sporting event.

The children were playing badminton at a vacation home.

A racket was being used for its intended purpose.

Then a component allegedly separated, sending a metal shaft toward a child who was standing nearby.

Within seconds, a family vacation had become an emergency.

Four days later, the family was grieving the loss of their daughter.

More than two years afterward, the family is asking a court to determine whether the equipment manufacturer should be held legally responsible.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The lawsuit is now moving through Maine’s civil court system.

The family’s allegations will have to be tested through evidence, legal arguments and, if necessary, a trial.

Franklin Sports has not admitted liability.

The company has said it is reviewing the circumstances while declining to comment on the specific allegations because litigation is pending.

For the Morgan family, however, the case represents something much more personal.

Lucy was six years old when she went on vacation with her parents and siblings.

She never returned home.

Now, more than two years after the accident, her family is asking whether the tragedy could have been prevented — and whether changes to a common piece of sports equipment could help prevent another child from being placed in similar danger.

The court will ultimately have to determine whether the allegations against Franklin Sports are supported by the evidence.

SOURCES
Maine State Police — information concerning the June 2024 incident and emergency response.