The parents of a Texas girl who drowned during a scuba certification class have initiated legal action against two organizations, asserting that the circumstances surrounding her death could have been avoided.
On August 16, 2025, 12-year-old Dylan Harrison participated in a private open water course purchased by her parents from a local dive shop named Scubatoys.
Upon arriving at Scuba Ranch, a training facility located near Terrell, the family was informed that Dylan would be grouped with six other students.
The lawsuit claims that the instructor assured Dylan’s parents prior to the class that he would “keep an eye on their daughter.”
At that time, Chief Deputy William Armstrong of the Collin County Sheriff’s Office was employed part-time as an instructor. He had already completed a full day’s work as a sheriff and was also engaged in overnight shifts as a security guard, according to reports.
The complaint states that when Dylan and her swimming buddy entered the water, Armstrong failed to verify whether Dylan was at the correct weight for diving.
Dylan was last seen alive when her class first entered the water around 9:36 a.m. After some confusion among the students, she resurfaced at 10:12 a.m.
Emergency services were reportedly called to the scene about 15 minutes later.
The lawsuit indicates that based on the air remaining in her tank at the surface before disappearing and the amount left when she was found, Dylan was likely alive and breathing from her tank for several minutes after being seen last. However, she was alone, in murky conditions, and unable to reach the surface.
Following the incident, Armstrong resigned from his role in the sheriff’s office.
The 40-page lawsuit asserts that Dylan’s death was preventable, citing numerous ongoing safety failures within the industry.
Legal representatives for the Harrison family have mentioned a video from a 2017 staff meeting where Scubatoys owner Joe Johnson reportedly made disparaging comments regarding the company’s safety protocols.
In the video, Johnson suggested a cavalier attitude towards safety, making remarks about settling claims related to fatalities. “Our insurance company just settled… it’s OK to kill two people a year,” he commented.
As of now, attorneys for Scubatoys, NAUI, PADI, Scuba Ranch, and the Harrison family have not provided any immediate comments. Similarly, Fox News Digital has been unable to identify legal representation for Armstrong.
