6-year-old killed in freak accident with badminton racket while vacationing in Maine

A New Jersey family is mourning the loss of a girl who was accidentally killed in a freak accident just over a week ago while family members played Badminton.

The girl, 6-year-old Lucy Morgan, is from Stockholm, New Jersey. She was on vacation in Limerick, Maine, about 33 miles west of Portland.

According to a news release from Maine State Police and family, the girl’s family members were playing badminton in the afternoon on June 1 when the aluminum shaft of the badminton racket broke off its wooden handle and hit her in the head, piercing her skull.

Limerick Fire and EMS showed up and notified the Maine State Police Southern Field Troop, MSP said in the news release. She was transported to a hospital and then flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where she died four days later.

Authorities said her death was an accident. 

“The Maine State Police would like to extend their deepest condolences to the Morgan family,” police wrote in the press release.

Lucy's father says they were 'praying for a miracle'

Jesse Morgan, Lucy’s father, is the worship and discipleship pastor at the Green Pond Bible Chapel in Rockaway Township, according to the North Jersey Record, part of the USA TODAY network.

After his daughter’s accident, he shared updates on his website, newcreationliving.com.

The incident happened on the family’s last full day on vacation in Maine, her father wrote.

“We were eating a quick lunch by the lake and the kids decided to try badminton in the front yard,” he wrote. “Bethany and I were relaxing in the back when we heard screaming.”

Badminton is a racket sport where two to four players hit a shuttlecock across a net. The shuttlecock is a shaped like a cone and made of overlapping feathers attached to a circular cork base, according to Racquet Point. The game is normally played indoors with one or two players on each side.

He added that Lucy was sitting on the sidelines when the incident occurred. The girl was initially still breathing but unresponsive, he said. 

After she was taken to the hospital, doctors removed part of her skull to relieve pressure, her father wrote. They were told there was a “very slim chance” she’d recover. She was intubated and had no brain function, he said.

“We are praying for a miracle but our hearts hurt with incomprehensible pain,” he wrote at the time. “I have so many scattered thoughts and memories.”

Girl was ‘Miss Independent’ but also a cuddler

On the website, the dad described Lucy as "Miss Independent" and said that his daughter was curious about God and had a strong faith. The girl had recently "prayed to God to forgive her and that she believed in Jesus’ death and resurrection," her father wrote.

"What a gift," he added.

He said his daughter had recently sung “He Will Hold Me Fast,” a song she loved. Her family sang the song as they rested in her hospital room. Her father told the Record that it was one of the "most beautiful, sacred things I've ever been part of."

Her family also said she was a cuddler and was a great older sister. She was her mother’s mini me, the Record reported.

A prayer journal and GoFundMe

As the family drove back to New Jersey, her father often glanced into his rearview mirror hoping he’d see Lucy snacking like usual, the Record reported.

Once they returned home, they cried and remembered Lucy. They later opened her backpack and found her prayer journal, where she had written about how much she loves God and Jesus.

Loved ones started a GoFundMe to support the Morgans. To donate, visit www.tinyurl.com/LucyMorgan.

Lucy’s memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Green Pond Bible Chapel, her father posted. 

“We have received so much comfort and support from close loved ones and random people pouring out love,” he wrote online.” We never asked for this immense trial, but the reports of other children coming to Christ, about neighbors having gospel conversations, and grief being shared helps us continue to walk by faith in this profound pain. Bless you on your journey. He will hold you fast.”

The service will also be available for social media users to watch at greenpondbible.org/livestream.

Contributing: Lori Comstock, North Jersey Record

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her atsdmartin@usatoday.com.