Editor’s Note: A lawsuit only shows one side of a story.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — In 2025, a case was brought against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where it was alleged that its negligence led to a serious wound on the body of a minor. This week, the Church submitted an answer to the case, denying the allegations.
In November 2025, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of two minors, who have not been identified due to their age, after one of the minors had suffered serious injuries during a church activity in 2022. At the time of the incident, the minors were 12 and 14 years old.
A court-appointed conservator was assigned as the plaintiff on behalf of the two minor children. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was named as the defendant.
The accident
According to the lawsuit, the young people were participating in an activity on a boat owned by the leader of the Young Women of their ward. While on the boat, the 12-year-old boy was feeding a rope to an inner tube when the leader of the young women allegedly accelerated.
Due to the acceleration, the rope wrapped around the boy’s left leg and severed it below the ankle.
The Women’s Youth Leader reported that he turned off the boat but could not start it again because the engine flooded. His 12-year-old brother, who was 14 at the time and is the other minor involved in the case, called 911.
The brother had to apply a tourniquet to the injured leg and, with the help of others, tried to paddle his brother to shore on the inner tube.
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Despite additional medical attention, the 12-year-old boy’s leg could not be saved after undergoing two amputations. He also had to undergo several surgeries.
The suit alleges that the minor suffered significant mental, emotional and psychological trauma in addition to irreparable and life-changing harm. He also alleges that his brother suffered emotional and psychological injuries because he saw the incident and its impact on his brother.
Because it was a Church activity supervised by Church leaders, the plaintiffs argue that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had a responsibility and duty towards the minors and breached that duty by failing to provide a safe environment and failing to properly train supervisory individuals.
The plaintiffs are asking for compensation to help both the minors with medical care and emotional recovery, as well as for any future and past loss of enjoyment of life.
The response of the Church
On Monday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints filed a response to the initial lawsuit. While she admitted that some of her youth activities involve water sports and that the boat driver is responsible for some youth activities, she denied that she breached any of her legal obligations or responsibilities.
The Church also admitted that the adults who organized the activity were leaders within the church. However, they denied that the Young Women leader increased the dangers of boating or that any injuries they suffered were the result of acts, mistakes, or omissions by the Church.
Based on the due care requirements of Wyoming law, the Church admitted that it owed a duty of care to the minor but denied the allegations that it breached that duty.
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In its response, the Church argued that it bears no responsibility and that there are inherent risks of activities such as water sports that it cannot prevent. It also argued that the plaintiff’s claims were barred by the volunteer immunity doctrine, which provides certain protections to individuals who act as volunteers.
The response reads, in part, “the injuries are the result of a rare and unforeseen accident that occurred in the absence of negligence or lack of due care by the Defendant.”
He also says that the Church “asks the plaintiff not to take anything through the complaint” and asks the court to grant the defendant any relief the court deems fair.
ABC4 reached out to the Church for a statement about the case and has not yet heard back.
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