12-year-old allegedly alive underwater for minutes before fatal scuba class failure: lawsuit
Grieving parents of a child texas girl A person who drowned during a scuba diving certification class has filed a lawsuit against two institutions, claiming the child’s death was preventable.
On August 16, 2025, 12-year-old Dylan Harrison took a private open water course purchased by his parents from Scubatoys, a local dive shop. accordingly FOX 4.
When the family reportedly arrived at The Scuba Ranch, a scuba training center near Terrell, they were told their daughter would be placed in a group of seven students.
The lawsuit also alleged that the divemaster told Dylan’s parents before class, “I’m not going to take my eyes off your daughter.”
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According to a lawsuit filed, 12-year-old Dylan Harrison drowned on Aug. 16, 2025, while en route to a private offshore lesson in Terrell, Texas.
(Fox News)
Collin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy William Armstrong was working part-time as a scuba diving instructor during class and had previously worked as a full-time deputy as a security guard for an investment firm and then worked a full night shift as a security guard, FOX 4 reported.
The lawsuit alleged that when Dylan and his 12-year-old swimming buddy entered the water, Armstrong failed to check to see if Dylan was properly weighed.
Dylan was last seen alive when the class entered the water at 9:36 a.m. and resurfaced at 10:12 a.m. following a miscommunication with a student.
The lawsuit alleges that emergency services were not called to the scene until approximately 15 minutes later.
“According to the amount of air remaining inside [Dylan’s] Based on the scuba diving tank that was on the surface before it disappeared and the amount of air remaining in the tank when it was found, it can be estimated that: [she] It was revealed in the lawsuit that he was alive and breathing for several minutes from the time he was last seen, according to FOX 4. [Dylan] “He was alone, visibility was poor and he couldn’t reach the surface.”
Following the incident, Armstrong resigned from his position with the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
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The 40-page lawsuit claims Dylan’s death was preventable. multiple failures After the industry ignored security concerns for several years.
Lawyers for the Harrison family point to 2017 video of a staff meeting in which Scubatoy owner Joe Johnson allegedly made snide comments about safety protocols in the company’s classrooms, FOX 4 reported.
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“All I know is you killed, what? 4 people? 5 people? “And we never even testified,” Johnson said in the video. “Our insurance company just got a deal. John Witherspoon says we can kill two people a year and ‘we’re fine.'”
Scubatoys, NAUI, PADI, Scuba Ranch and the Harrison family’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital was not immediately able to locate an attorney representing Armstrong.
Original article source: 12-year-old boy allegedly lived underwater for minutes before fatal scuba diving lesson failure: lawsuit
