Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Scuba Diving Fatality in Texas
The parents of 12-year-old Dylan Harrison have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in connection with her death during a recreational scuba diving training session in August 2025. The lawsuit was filed this week in a Texas civil court and names multiple parties involved in the dive training and certification process, including major scuba certification agencies.
Dylan was participating in what her family understood to be an open-water certification training dive at The Scuba Ranch, an inland freshwater dive site near Terrell, Texas, when she was reported missing underwater and later found unresponsive. She was pronounced dead following recovery from approximately 42 feet of water.
The complaint, arising from a 40-page legal filing, alleges that failures in oversight, supervision, and adherence to safety protocols contributed to the conditions leading to Dylan’s death. The lawsuit asserts that lapses occurred at multiple levels — from the organisation and execution of the dive class to broader industry practices — and that these should be examined by the court.
According to the lawsuit, Dylan was placed in a group of students with varied experience levels, and her weighting and buoyancy were not verified before the dive began. Allegations also include delays in summoning emergency services once she was no longer visible, and that conditions such as limited underwater visibility and insufficient direct supervision may have played a role in the incident.
The family has named as defendants the dive shop that sold the course, individual instructors involved in the training, and training agencies PADI and NAUI. The complaint seeks financial compensation and increased accountability within recreational dive training, particularly for minors.
A representative for the Harrison family said they hope the lawsuit will not only address their loss but also prompt a review of training practices that will enhance the safety of future divers. No statements have been released by the named certification agencies or dive operators in response to the filing, as of this release.
