Family of Gabriel Stone sues U.S. government, Air Force over fatal pool house wall collapse

The lawsuit, filed by Camalle and Timberly Stone, alleges negligence in the construction, maintenance and inspection of the wall that collapsed and fatally injured their son.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The parents of Gabriel Stone, a 14-year-old boy who died in July 2024 after a concrete wall collapsed on him at the Heritage Club on Robins Air Force Base, have filed a lawsuit against the United States of America, the U.S. Air Force, and multiple civilian parties, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in federal court.

The lawsuit, filed by Camalle and Timberly Stone, alleges negligence in the construction, maintenance and inspection of the wall that collapsed and fatally injured their son. According to the complaint, Gabriel had just finished swimming at the Heritage Club pool when he entered the men’s locker room.

“Once inside the Bath House, at some point Gabriel and his friends grabbed the top of the partition wall,” the complaint states. “As the boys reached the top of the partition wall, it began to sway.”

The partition wall gave way, trapping Stone and three other teenagers under an estimated ton of concrete blocks. Gabriel was freed from the debris and received emergency treatment at the scene but died after being taken to a local hospital.

An Air Force investigation determined the wall, built in 1969, had not been properly anchored, violating standard construction codes. The lawsuit argues that the government failed in its duty to inspect, maintain and repair the structure, leading to Gabriel’s death.

The family is seeking damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act and Georgia law, alleging negligence, gross negligence and recklessness. They are represented by attorneys Rod Edmond and Shofaetiyah Watson of Edmond & Lindsay, LLP, based in Atlanta.

41NBC’s Taylor Gilchrist will have more on this tonight on 41NBC News at 6.