💔⚖️ “NEARLY A YEAR LATER, ONE FAMILY HAS FINALLY REACHED A MAJOR LEGAL MILESTONE” An ordinary day at a California summer camp ended in unimaginable tragedy when 8-year-old Lamar McGlothurn was killed after a large tree branch fell. Now, nearly a year later, his family’s wrongful death lawsuit has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement.

Nearly a year after 8-year-old Lamar McGlothurn was killed when a massive tree branch fell on him at a California summer camp, his family has reached a multimillion dollar settlement in their wrongful death lawsuit.

According to settlement documents reviewed by The Los Angeles Times and the Pasadena Star-News, approximately $16 million will be paid by insurers for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which manages King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, where the incident took place.

Insurers for Camp Wildcraft and a landscaping company will contribute an additional $3 million, bringing the total settlement to $19.3 million.

The tragic incident occurred on July 9, 2025, as campers and counselors gathered under a large oak tree.

A massive branch suddenly broke away from the tree and crashed onto the group, fatally injuring Lamar. Four other people — including two children and two adults — were also injured.

Lamar’s parents had arrived at the camp to pick up their son and witnessed the devastating incident. The family’s lawyer, Robert Glassman, said they rushed to help and tried to lift the branch off Lamar before first responders arrived, but he died from his injuries, according to CBS Los Angeles.

In the months that followed, Lamar’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the MRCA, Camp Wildcraft and a landscaping company responsible for maintaining the property, alleging the defendants failed to identify the dying tree.

The complaint alleged the oak tree showed visible signs of decay and that employees had raised concerns about its condition before the fatal incident. According to the lawsuit, a large branch had fallen from the same tree just days earlier, prompting internal discussions among staff about whether another limb could fall. The family alleged those warnings were ignored and that the area beneath the tree remained open.

The lawsuit also claimed the defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain and remove dangerous trees on the property, arguing Lamar’s death could have been prevented had appropriate safety measures been taken.

“This tragedy was entirely preventable,” Glassman said in a statement on behalf of the family provided to the Los Angeles Times. “When dangerous conditions exist on public property, families deserve answers, transparency, and action.”

The office of Robert Glassman did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Tuesday, July 2.