Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park files for bankruptcy
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has officially filed for bankruptcy just months after the park was required to pay over $200 million to the family of a six-year-old girl who died on one of their rides.
Wongel Estifanos, a 6-year-old girl from Colorado Springs, died over Labor Day weekend in 2021 after falling out of the park's Haunted Mine Drop ride, a ride that plunged six passengers 110 feet into a darkened "mine shaft."
Investigators later determined she hadn't been properly buckled in before the ride started. They also found that a ride operator had overridden a warning from the ride’s safety system, which indicated that the restraints were not properly secured.
The state investigation concluded that her death was the result of multiple errors by ride operators and their family, who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the park in 2021, was awarded $205 million in September 2025.
Although a state investigation found that Estifanos's death resulted from multiple errors by ride operators, no criminal charges were filed after the 9th Judicial District Attorney's Office said there was not a reasonable likelihood of securing a conviction at trial.
According to 9News, the park confirmed in a statement that the settlement was a major factor in its bankruptcy filing. Owners say they still plan to operate as usual.
“We recognize the unimaginable loss of the Estifanos family. Our decision to pursue Chapter 11 is the most responsible path to stabilize the business, preserve operations and maintain the value for the benefit of all parties," Glenwood Caverns said in a statement. "Our priority is to honor our obligations with integrity; maintain stability for our guests, employees and partners; and ensure the business remains strong to support the community we love.”
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