Destiny Morgan took her children on a vacation to Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2021. What was supposed to be a fun family getaway turned tragic when her youngest child, 4-year-old Demi Williams, drowned in one of the pools at the resort. The pool had no lifeguards on duty and was poorly lit, according to a lawsuit filed by Morgan. Despite efforts to resuscitate Demi, including searching for a defibrillator on the property, she was pronounced dead at the hospital that night.
This was not the first incident of a child drowning at Crown Reef. Between 2018 and 2021, at least three children had fatally drowned at the resort, including a 5-year-old boy who drowned just days after Demi. This pattern of tragic incidents has prompted Morgan to take legal action in hopes of changing the resort’s safety protocols. The wrongful death lawsuit accuses Crown Reef of negligence in failing to provide adequate staff to protect guests and not having lifeguards on duty at the pools.
Crown Reef’s general manager and an attorney for the resort did not respond to inquiries from NBC News regarding the lawsuit. The state of South Carolina does not require lifeguards to be present at pools or lazy rivers at resorts, only at waterslides. Similarly, there are no laws mandating the placement of defibrillators near swimming areas. Morgan and her attorneys believe that signage alone is not enough to ensure the safety of guests and are seeking monetary damages along with safety improvements at the resort.
The lack of security cameras in the area where Demi drowned means there is no footage to review to determine how she ended up in the pool from the lazy river. Morgan’s attorneys argue that this lack of oversight contributed to Demi’s tragic death and is calling for more lifeguards, better lighting, and increased staffing at the resort. The lawsuit also aims to hold the resort accountable for what they see as negligent actions that led to Demi’s drowning.
While the resort was in good standing with state inspectors during their most recent unannounced inspection, the tragic incidents of child drownings at Crown Reef have raised serious concerns about guest safety. Families who have lost children at the resort, including Morgan and Latoya Fayall, whose daughter drowned in 2018, have faced legal and emotional challenges in the aftermath of their losses. The quest for accountability and justice for these families continues as they seek to prevent future tragedies at the resort.
