An 11-year-old girl was killed and two other guests were injured at Orange Lake Resort when a small pond at the mini golf course became electrified. In a tragic premises liability incident, the girl waded into the small pond after her ball went off the course and into the water. Upon hearing the girl’s scream, another patron attempted to help her and was also injured. The girl was rushed to an area hospital but they were unable to save her.
The mini golf facility is currently closed and will remain so “until further notice” according to a statement released by the resort. The resort further offered its thoughts and prayers for the guests, their families and friends after the terrible incident. Preliminary investigation has not yet revealed how the water became electrified.
The resort is responsible for the health and safety of the people who use its facilities. Engineering and safety experts may be used to determine what caused this unfortunate accident. It is possible that faulty maintenance or improper installation created the deadly condition. It was likely only a matter of time until a guest or employee came along to expose the deadly condition that existed on the course.
Whenever an individual or business invites others onto its premises, they are making a promise that the grounds are reasonably safe and secure for visitors. The failure to provide safe premises in this case led to the tragic death of a girl with her entire life ahead of her.
Source: Reuters, “New York girl electrocuted at Florida mini-golf course,” by Barbara Liston, 29 June 2012
