A Calabasas-area family says it has secured a settlement of more than $14 million after their 8-year-old son, Lamar McGlothurn, was killed when a large oak limb crashed down onto a picnic area at King Gillette Ranch on July 9, 2025. The payout resolves wrongful-death claims tied to a Camp Wildcraft gathering at the Santa Monica Mountains site, and the family’s attorneys say it holds both public and private players to account for ignoring clear warnings about the failing tree.
According to The Acorn, the family accepted the settlement of more than $14,000,000 on April 24, 2026, resolving claims against the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and other defendants. The Acorn reported on the agreement after months of filings and public-records digging by the family’s legal team.
What happened at King Gillette Ranch
On July 9, 2025, a heavy oak limb suddenly snapped and crashed into picnic tables where campers, parents and staff were gathered, killing 8-year-old Lamar McGlothurn and injuring several others, killing 8-year-old Lamar McGlothurn and contemporaneous local reports show. Camp Wildcraft had shifted some of its summer activities to King Gillette because of earlier fire damage at its usual site, and parents were already on hand for pickup when the branch came down.
Records show staff flagged the tree
Public texts and emails obtained by reporters indicate park staff and a contracted tree crew flagged the oak as decayed on July 2 and discussed removing or thinning larger limbs, CBS Los Angeles reported. A master arborist told CBS LA that standard industry practice when a tree shows visible structural defects is to block off nearby areas or move likely “targets” such as picnic tables until the hazard is addressed.
Who was named in the claims
Parents Madeline Eaton and Kevin Shrestha were represented by Panish | Shea | Ravipudi, which says it filed government claims naming the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, Camp Wildcraft and Gomez Landscape & Tree Care, among others, as defendants. According to the firm’s account, independent inspections hired by the family’s lawyers documented internal decay and prior limb losses that, they contend, rendered the collapse preventable rather than a freak accident.
Legal implications
Claims against public entities follow distinct procedures, and the MRCA has said it commissioned an external investigation and would “respond appropriately” while inquiries continued, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times. Attorneys for the family say the settlement highlights a broader need for clearer tree-management and safety protocols at parks and other sites used by youth programs.
The agreement resolves this family’s pending claims and has refocused local attention on how aging oaks are inspected, monitored and mitigated on public grounds. We will update this report if court filings or official statements reveal further details about the settlement or any policy changes by the MRCA.
