The Verdict That Shook the Park
In September 2025, a jury found Glenwood Caverns liable for both noneconomic and punitive damages stemming from the death of Wongel Estifanos, who fell more than 100 feet on the Haunted Mine Drop ride on Sept. 5, 2021.
Court records show the 6-year-old was not properly secured before the ride began. The case, initially filed in Denver District Court and later transferred to Garfield County Court, culminated in a sweeping verdict.
Jurors awarded $82 million in noneconomic damages, most of which was apportioned between Glenwood Caverns and Soaring Eagle Inc., the ride’s manufacturer and designer. They also imposed $123 million in punitive damages solely against Glenwood Caverns. A Colorado state court entered final judgment in November 2025.
The total judgment cited in bankruptcy filings stands at $116 million.
At the time of the verdict, Glenwood Caverns said responsibility for the child’s death should rest entirely with Soaring Eagle, not the park. In Monday’s declaration, the debtor said it intends to appeal, asserting the Colorado court committed what it described as a “reversible error.”
