Faulty Badminton Racket Killed NJ 6-Year-Old, Parents’ Lawsuit Says

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Sussex County family of a six-year-old girl who died in a badminton incident is suing the racket manufacturer for wrongful death.

On June 1, 2026, the Morgan family was vacationing in Limerick, Maine, according to the complaint.

Lucy Morgan, the six-year-old, was watching her older siblings play badminton on the family’s final day of the lake house vacation, attorneys said.

When Lucy’s brother swung back the racket to hit the badminton birdie, it snapped, breaking into two pieces: the racket's head and metal stem, the suit says.

The metal stem went flying through the air, striking and impaling Lucy’s skull, according to attorneys.

Lucy was heli-vacced to Maine Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead five days later.

Two years after the tragedy, the Morgan family has filed suit against Franklin Sports, the Massachusetts-based sporting goods company.

The family is claiming that the racket, which was provided with the family’s lakehouse rental, was “defective and unreasonably dangerous.”

Specifically, the Morgans say the handle and metal stem were “not adequately secured, the adhesive connecting them was defective, and the racket lacked a secondary restraint that would prevent the metal portion of the racket from becoming a projectile if the connection failed.”

The suit also accuses the sporting goods manufacturer of not providing adequate warning that the racket could snap and become dangerous.

Represented by wrongful death attorneys, Travis M. Brennan and Charles P. Hehmeyer, the family is suing for damages on behalf of Lucy's estate and Lucy's three siblings who witnessed the “traumatic events.” The lawsuit cites several claims, including strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, wrongful death, and survival claims.

"This case represents a parent's worst nightmare. The Morgan family was enjoying an idyllic summer vacation here in Maine when they lost Lucy due to what we allege was a dangerous and defective piece of sports equipment," Brennan said in a statement. "We are committed to obtaining justice for Lucy by holding Franklin Sports accountable. We want to ensure these rackets are manufactured in a way where this type of tragedy never occurs again."

The family is seeking damages in several capacities, including funeral expenses, pecuniary loss, emotional distress, loss of comfort, society and companionship, and other available damages.

Patch.com has reached out to Franklin Sports for comment, and representatives were not immediately available.