The family of the student-athlete killed a horrible elevator malfunction in a student apartment complex has hired an attorney.
JauMarcus McFarland, a football player at Champion Prep Academy, was crushed when an elevator malfunctioned in Atlanta. McFarland was rushed next door to the Atlanta Medical Center with a faint pulse after crews initiated an hour-long extrication.
“Now, his family and their attorneys have spoken out for the first time since McFarland’s death and they said they want answers. Attorneys with The Cochran Firm addressed the media and public at their law offices along with the family.
“At the end of the day, this shouldn’t have happened. There’s no excuse for it and we will get to the bottom line,” said Shean Williams, a partner at the firm.
McFarland’s family said they’ve been given “the run around” for the last week. They said they’ve heard different stories about that tragic day, and that they’ve seen what lawyers called “doctored video” from the incident.
Williams said the family attorneys are planning to conduct their own independent investigation into the incident.”
“My son came here to do what he liked to do and that was play football,” McFarland’s mother Jessica Moore said. “And he really enjoyed that and he wasn’t able to fulfill that and I just want answers.”
Footage has ince been released showing how McFarland got trapped and crushed by that elevator.
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The cause was a malfunctioning elevator, which was reportedly overdue for inspection, that went into a free-fall. The incident took place as he and his teammates were making their way to practice and boarded the elevator. It went into freefall as he was trying to exit it, trapping, and crushing him.
Soon after three players boarded the elevator on the 3rd floor, it felt as if it was beginning to fall before it stopped and opened normally on the third floor.
Two of the three players walked out on the third floor but before McFarland could get out, the elevator began to rapidly fall. He was pinned between a wall and the elevator car in the shaft for nearly an hour until help arrived.
A spokesman issued a written statement saying:
“We can confirm that the operating permit for the elevators at this location expired in August of 2020. Inspections are required by state law to be done on an annual basis and it is the building owner’s responsibility to request this yearly inspection from our office. We do not have a record of any such request from this building.”
Property manager Nathan Phillips said the elevator had passed an inspection in August 2019 and wasn’t due until 2024.
The family has asked for privacy while they grieve the devastating loss of their son.
