Miami, FL – An 11-year-old girl attending a Florida summer camp suffered severe injuries after a counselor allegedly ran over her with a boat propeller. Catherine Viteri was swimming at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club when the incident occurred.
Catherine’s family has filed a lawsuit against the counselor, Myles Carter Holt, and the sailing club seeking $10 million in damages.
According to the complaint, Holt, 21, was operating a 2008 Ribcraft motorboat on July 10 when he lost track of the number of campers in the water and collided with Viteri.
Her attorney Justin Shapiro described the injuries as “permanently mutilated,” claiming Holt’s actions resulted in Catherine’s leg being lacerated to the bone.
Catherine was participating in a swimming activity when Holt reportedly began ferrying a group of children toward her location. The complaint alleges that Holt’s lack of attentiveness resulted in him being unaware of the campers around him.
Shapiro stated that Holt operated the vessel directly into the area where the children were swimming, leading to the accident. The description of the injuries indicated that all muscles and nerves were severed in her leg.
In addition to Holt, two other counselors, Aden Weinberg and Sara Ortiz Vey, are also named in the lawsuit for failing to supervise the children properly.
Coconut Grove Sailing Club has not responded to recent requests for comment. Shapiro emphasized that counselors are expected to ensure the safety of campers.
He stated that the risk of danger should not come from the counselors supposed to protect the campers.
Catherine’s injuries are expected to have long-lasting impacts on her functionality for years to come.