Kaleb Ortega, a three-year-old boy, died after a monument fell and crushed him at Rooks Park in Walla Walla, Washington, on April 1. His family has filed a lawsuit against multiple companies involved in the monument's construction, seeking emotional damages.
Details of the Accident
Kaleb was at the park with his father and five-year-old sister when the monument "fell in a matter of seconds and crushed" him, according to the lawsuit. First responders rushed him to the hospital where his mother worked as a nurse, but he died from his injuries.
Lawsuit Filed
The lawsuit, filed in Walla Walla County Superior Court on May 12, names Boulder Designs, Boulder Designs Franchising LLC, Border Magic, Builders FirstSource Inc, American Rock Products, Wenzel Nursery, Neil Binder and the Binder marital community, and Double T Construction Ltd as defendants. The family alleges negligence in the design of the monument or lack of appropriate warnings.
"The monument was not reasonably safe," the lawsuit states, claiming the defendants are responsible for the emotional distress suffered by Kaleb's father and sister at the scene, and his mother at the hospital.
Park Closure and Community Response
Rooks Park, operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, was closed for two weeks after the accident "to ensure something like that doesn't happen again" and "out of respect for those involved." The monument honored Captain Albert H. Rooks and the USS Houston CA-30.
A GoFundMe page described April 1 as "a normal, happy day filled with play" that turned into "an unimaginable accident." Kaleb was remembered as "a joyful, busy little boy who filled every moment with life" and who loved playing with his older sister, his best friend.
Defendants have not yet filed responses to the lawsuit.
