The parents of 12-year-old Dylan Harrison have filed a lawsuit against two major scuba diving certification agencies, alleging that systemic safety failures led to their daughter’s drowning during what should have been a routine training session in North Texas.
Dylan died on August 16, 2025, during a scuba certification class at Scuba Ranch in Terrell, Texas. The training course, administered by an instructor from Scuba Toys dive shop, turned tragic when the young girl was found approximately 42 feet underwater, away from the designated training platform after being missing for seven minutes, according to reports.
The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) expressed condolences in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dylan Harrison on August 16th, 2025,” the organization said. But for the Harrison family, words of sympathy aren’t enough.
Investigation Closed Before Questions Answered
What’s particularly troubling to the family is how quickly authorities wrapped up their investigation. David Concannon, the attorney representing Dylan’s parents, posted a scathing assessment of the investigation’s timeline: “One hour and 37 minutes. That’s how long it took from the time 12-year-old Dylan Harrison was declared dead until the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office called her parents to tell them they were closing the investigation into their daughter’s death. Dylan’s bathing suit wasn’t even dry yet.”
Concannon has vowed to help the family uncover what happened to their daughter, adding, “That’s why I was contacted and that’s why I agreed to help this family find out what happened to their daughter and why. Challenge accepted.”
During the fatal dive, Dylan was part of a group of eight students supervised by two dive professionals — technically within industry standards that allow up to 10 trainees per class. However, instructor-trainer Ross Neil noted that poor visibility in the water should have prompted additional safety precautions, experts suggest.
Perhaps most concerning is that crucial evidence appears to have been mishandled. Dive computers — devices that record depth, time, and other critical data during a dive — from Dylan, the instructor, divemaster, and other participants were not properly analyzed by authorities. One computer was reportedly lost entirely.
“That’s a black box that’ll show you a tremendous amount of information about what happened to Dylan,” Concannon explained to local media. “The dive computer data from the instructor, the dive master, and at least Dylan and the other student who was wearing a dive computer will tell you exactly what happened. That mystery will be solved.”
A Troubling History
The lawsuit comes amid revelations of potentially disturbing past practices at Scuba Toys, the dive shop that employed the instructor involved in Dylan’s fatal class. The instructor has since been permanently suspended, according to industry sources.
In a 2017 video that has resurfaced since the incident, Joe Johnson, owner of Scuba Toys, made comments that have shocked the diving community: “All I know is we’ve killed, what, four people, five people and we’ve never even done a deposition. Our insurance company just settles. John Witherspoon said we can kill two people a year, we fine.”
Could more rigorous supervision have prevented this tragedy? Records show Dylan was paired with another student her own age as a diving buddy, raising questions about whether children should be partnered with more experienced adults during training.
The lawsuit targets not just the local dive operation but two major scuba certification agencies, alleging broader industry failings in safety protocols and standards for training minors. The lawsuit claims these systemic issues directly contributed to Dylan’s death.
For Dylan’s parents, the legal action represents both a search for answers and an effort to prevent similar tragedies. As the case moves forward, it could potentially reshape safety standards for an entire industry — too late for Dylan Harrison, but perhaps in time to protect future young divers drawn to explore the underwater world.
