Family of teen killed in elevator accident hires attorneys for independent investigation

By Mary Smith

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    ATLANTA (WGCL) — Another investigation into the death of 18-year old JauMarcus McFarland has been launched. The Champion Prep Academy athlete died last week following an elevator accident in Northeast Atlanta.

Attorneys with the Cochran Firm claim the building has a slew of issues and say property management has been negligent. No lawsuit has been filed but attorneys for McFarland’s family say they are investigating several entities, including building management, owners and Champion Prep, following his death.

“That was an illegal operating elevator,” said Attorney Shean Williams with the Cochran firm.

McFarland died last week after being pinned between an elevator and the third floor at 444 Highland Avenue.

Surveillance cameras captured some of the incident.

“It was predictable because this apartment complex had a long history of issues and problems including maintenance issues specifically related to the elevators in question,” said Williams.

A certificate of the elevator’s inspection shows it was past due for about a year. Property management is blaming the state, saying they do the inspections, but according to the insurance commissioner, property owners must first request an inspection.

A statement from property management also claims there were too many people on the elevator, exceeding the weight limit.

“I don’t see how you could make a bunch of kids responsible for an elevator falling,” said McFarland’s stepfather, James Boyce.

His family says he came to Atlanta from Missouri with big dreams.

“My son came here to do what he liked to do and that was play football and he really enjoyed that. He wasn’t able to fulfil that and I just want answers. I don’t know. I’m just overwhelmed by the whole thing,” said his mother, Jessica Moore.

“We will look into the apartment complex owners to the champion prep academy but also the distributor and manufacturer of that elevator,” said another one of the family’s attorneys, Sam Starks. “We will hold everyone, every entity responsible if that is in fact the case that there was negligence.”

His family’s attorneys say they expect his autopsy results to return in a few weeks. We reached out to Champion Prep and building management for comment on McFarland’s family hiring attorneys. We are waiting to hear back.

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