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Boy Scouts of America sued after 11-year-old Massachusetts boy dies on camping trip

Boy Scouts sued after Massachusetts boy dies in New Hampshire boating accident
Boy Scouts sued after Massachusetts boy dies in New Hampshire boating accident 01:53

LEXINGTON - A couple from Lexington, Massachusetts is suing the Boy Scouts of America after their son died on a camping trip.

Eleven-year-old Keoni Hubbard was with his troop at Manning Lake in Gilmanton, New Hampshire in July 2023 when he died in what the scouts said was a boating accident.

Unqualified boat operator?

"Eight scouts, including Keoni, ages 11 to 14, were placed on a small sport boat by an organization that irresponsibly entrusted the care and safety of those children to an utterly unqualified young boat operator," attorney Tucker Merrigan told WBZ-TV Tuesday.

Merrigan said the 18-year-old boat operator had been issued his license just 10 days before the incident and had about an hour of training on the boat's controls. Merrigan said investigators concluded the accident was a "systemic failure."

The family attorney said the incident violated several of the Boy Scouts' own rules, including that a supervisor must be 21 years old or older. He said the Boy Scouts also require a second lookout person if the children are going to be in or on the water. According to Merrigan, the organization also requires a head count before getting on a motorboat, but the operator could not tell investigators how many children were on the boat.

"Hell on Earth" for Hubbard family

"I am trapped in my own version of hell on Earth - a hell where the best part of my day is when I wake up, and for half a moment, I forget my son is dead," Keoni's father, John Hubbard, told WBZ.

"In Keoni's memory, we want to honor who he was - an amazing son, a loyal friend, and a truly kind human being," said his mother Jenna Hubbard. "I am a completely different person after losing my sweet boy."

The Hubbards are suing the Boy Scouts of America, in part, to force the organization to create a water safety program.

"I remember the last thing I said to Keoni before he left for camp. I gave him a hug, and I told him I love him, and I said, 'Have fun and be safe,'" said Jenna Hubbard.

In response, the Boy Scouts of America said they continue to grieve the loss of Keoni. They have not had an opportunity to thoroughly review the lawsuit, nor will they comment on impending litigation.

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