Family sues over teen's death on faulty Yo-Yo carnival ride in Montana

A lawsuit filed in Butte-Silver Bow District Court accuses several parties of negligence after 13-year-old Clayton Phillips was ejected from a Yo-Yo carnival ride and died two weeks later. The complaint alleges that ten of the ride’s chairs were missing restraint parts that were clearly visible, yet improperly trained employees permitted the boy to board an unsafe seat, or the restraints failed during operation. Midway West Amusements owner Michelle Jensen reportedly told police the only safety measure was to warn riders about broken seats and said replacement parts had been ordered.

Shady Acres Safety Services is said to have inspected the ride twice in the month before the incident, with owner Dennis Sutherland signing off on the inspections despite the alleged deficiencies. The estate is pursuing compensatory and punitive damages from the city-county government of Butte-Silver Bow, the ride operator, the inspection firm, its owner, and up to 20 other unidentified individuals or entities responsible for the ride’s inspection, maintenance, assembly, supervision, loading, or operation.