Sioux City Journal

Amusement park sued over teen's severed feet

1:00 AM

Posted: Friday, July 13, 2007

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A couple whose teenage daughter had her feet severed on a Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom ride sued the park on Thursday, saying it was negligent in maintaining and operating the ride.

The lawsuit, which also alleges negligence in inspecting and testing the ride, asks for a temporary injunction to prevent the park from altering or destroying the ride and a cable that investigators believe cut off the girl's feet.

Randall and Monique Lasitter, of Louisville, filed the lawsuit on behalf of 13-year-old Kaitlyn Lasitter, who remained hospitalized Thursday in good condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., The Courier-Journal reported.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. It claims that Kaitlyn has suffered permanent injury and severe emotional pain and that her ability to earn money has been impaired.

Doctors at Vanderbilt reattached Kaitlyn's right foot after the June 21 accident but couldn't save the left.

Carolyn McLean, a spokeswoman for the theme park, declined comment Thursday night and said she hadn't seen the lawsuit. The Lasitters said through a Vanderbilt spokesman that they had no comment.

Story Comments

Elorra wrote on Jul 21, 2007 9:31 PM:

" JJ you are a complete idiot. Maybe you should have your feet violently severed at a public venue and see how you feel. This girl deserves something from this. If a ride that is supposed to be safe cuts of your feet there was negligence. It's pretty cute and dry. I think losing your foot (and who knows how good the other one is going to function), is pretty damn life altering. THis WILL affect the rest of her life and her choices. "

whatever wrote on Jul 13, 2007 7:49 PM:

" She is a child. Are you crazy, jj. You actually beleive that this won't affect her life enough that it could cause her to have lower self esteem and therefore end up in a dead end job? They were extremely negligent and caused this poor child a lifetime of pain and anxiety. I don't think they could ever pay her what her feet are worth. "

mb wrote on Jul 13, 2007 1:33 PM:

" nothing in the article says she CAN'T work, but how can anyone deny that this hasn't affected and limited her future abilities to do anything like she would have been able to do before the accident? "

jj wrote on Jul 13, 2007 10:13 AM:

" Just because you dont have feet, does not mean that you are unable to work. there are a lot of jobs that she could to earn money such as being a customer service represenative. All you have to is just sit there and talk on the phone for eight hours a day if that. So yes, she can still work when she gets older. "