Crime & Safety
Boat Captain Indicted By Federal Jury For IL Mom's Parasailing Death: Report
Supraja Alaparthi, of Elk Grove Village, was killed in a 2022 parasailing incident in the Florida Keys.
KEY WEST, FL — A boat captain, who was charged with manslaughter in a 2022 parasailing accident that killed an Elk Grove Village mother, has been indicted by a federal jury. Daniel Gavin Couch, 52, received a seaman's manslaughter charge in connection with the death of Supraja Alaparthi, who was parasailing with her 10-year-old son and 7-year-old nephew when the incident occurred.
WPLG (Miami) is reporting Couch was indicted Monday for the May 30, 2022, incident at the Old Seven Mile Bridge. As Patch reported at the time, Alaparthi was strapped to the parasail with her son and nephew when a strong gust of wind led Couch to cut the line tethering them to the boat, causing the trio to be dragged across the water until they hit the bridge near Pigeon Key.
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Alaparthi's lawyers said she died of blunt force trauma and drowning. In addition, they said her son and nephew, who were injured, may have died if not for the actions of a charter fisherman, who came to their aid after they had been in the water following the incident for around seven minutes. Alaparthi's family had begged Couch to help, but he did not steer his vessel under the bridge to attempt to release the victims, according to the Miami Herald.
Couch was charged with felony homicide in the form of negligent manslaughter and five misdemeanor counts of violating health and safety.
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A lawsuit, filed in 2023, claims Couch took the group out parasailing despite poor weather conditions, and cut the towline to the parasail when conditions worsened.
According to WPLG, grand jurors concluded Monday that Couch "engaged in misconduct, negligence, or inattention to his duties as captain." He could get a $250,000 fine and spend up to a decade in federal prison if convicted. The news outlet is reporting Monroe Court records indicated Couch's state case is still pending, and a hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9.
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