The estate of a man has sued a resort and rental company blaming it for a fatal canoeing accident.
Mohogany Dawson and Taye Marshall Stapleton, children of the late Timothy Stapleton, filed a complaint in federal court against Mountain Creek Family Resort and Canoe Rental.
The plaintiffs claim the resort was negligent in renting out a canoe to their father when the water levels were twice as high because of rain. They claim this resulted in increased current and debris in the Niangua River where Stapleton drowned after his canoe hit debris and flipped over.
The suit further alleges that the resort failed to provide a United States Coast Guard-approved flotation device and did not warn Stapleton about the unsafe river conditions. The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages for loss of companionship, service, guidance, support, funeral expenses and economic damages.