Woman Whose Son Drowned At Crystal Springs Sues East Brunswick

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — A Keyport woman whose 6-year-old son drowned at Crystal Springs water park in 2018 has sued East Brunswick Township, which operates the park. Her lawsuit is moving forward in the court system, and was assigned an arbitration date for next July.

The woman is Danielle Meany, whose son Gage Turzani, 6, died Aug. 10, 2018. She filed the lawsuit a year after his death, in June of 2019.

In turn, in February of this year, East Brunswick Twp. filed a counter complaint against the boy's father, Allen Turzani, essentially holding him responsible for the boy's death.

Patch reported on the tragedy when it happened: Just past 3:30 p.m. on July 30, 2018, the boy jumped into the deep end of the Sapphire Bay section. Police reports obtained by MyCentralJersey allege that the boy did a belly flop into the pool, after witnesses said they saw him run into the water headfirst, strike his head and become motionless.

East Brunswick police received a 911 call of a child not breathing, and police officers, along with park staff and EMS, performed CPR on the boy near the pool. He was then taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

The young boy remained there for 11 days, in extremely critical condition, before dying Aug. 10.

East Brunswick Twp. owns and maintains Crystal Springs, a very popular family water park known throughout New Jersey.

In her lawsuit, Meany alleged the town "carelessly and negligently hired, trained or supervised lifeguards and other personnel" who worked there, and also that lifeguards allowed the boy "to enter into that pool without knowing his swimming ability, and without requiring that he wear a life jacket."

The lawsuit also said that the boy remained in the water without lifeguards "recognizing his submersion and without taking immediate rescue efforts."

East Brunswick business administrator Joe Criscuolo said the Township has a policy of not commenting on pending litigation.

The boy's mother is requesting a trial by jury, and is seeking compensation for "economic and non-economic damages." She said her son suffered pain and anguish in the days before he died.

The case will move forward in Middlesex County Superior Court and was assigned to an arbitration hearing, where both sides will make their case and present evidence. That arbitration hearing is scheduled for July 13, 2021.

Her lawyer is John Gorman of Lutz, Shafranski, Gorman and Mahoney, in New Brunswick.

Gage was a student at Madison Park Elementary School in the Old Bridge public school system. He loved superheroes, especially the Flash, and his family requested that people wear superhero attire to his funeral, according to his obituary.

He left behind his mother and father, and his sister, Ivy, as well as grandparents and extended family.

"Gage was a huge fan of the Flash. He loved to run and climb trees. He was a jokester who was constantly playing tricks on people," it read. "He loved playing with his little sister Ivy. Gage loved completing puzzles and building things. He was a big fan of the game Minecraft. Gage was a beautiful young boy who enjoyed all the activities of his youth. His passing has broken the hearts of all those that love him, but his memory will live on for a lifetime."

Patch reporting on this incident:

Boy Critical After Near Drowning At Crystal Springs Monday (July 30, 2018)

Keyport Boy, 6, Drowned At Crystal Springs: Report (Aug. 14, 2018)

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