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Couple files Astroworld lawsuit after pregnant woman loses unborn child

Ten people died after being crushed when the crowd pushed forward during Travis Scott's concert last November. Hundreds more were hurt.

HOUSTON — A couple from Ohio has filed a lawsuit in the wake of the Astroworld tragedy after a pregnant woman says she lost her unborn child, according to court documents.

The lawsuit, which was filed back in December, said the woman was trampled and crushed. Several parties have been named as defendants, including Live Nation and Travis Scott.

Shanazia Williamson and Jarawd Owens were suing for wrongful death.  

In the lawsuit, they claim,  “While in attendance at the festival, Shanazia was trampled and crushed resulting in horrific injuries and ultimately the death of her and Jarawd’s unborn child. In addition, Shanazia sustained injuries to her shoulder, back, chest, leg, stomach, and other parts of her body.”

They say the "defendants' failure to plan, design, manage, operate, staff and supervise the event” led to Williamson’s injuries and the loss of her pregnancy.

The couple is seeking an excess of $1 million, according to court documents.

This was first reported by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Ten people died after being crushed when the crowd pushed forward during Travis Scott's concert last November. Hundreds more were hurt.

The task force put in place in the wake of the deadly Astroworld Festival in April released its final report that includes "recommendations and strategies to ensure the safety of concertgoers" in Texas, according to Gov. Greg Abbott.

Some of the recommendations include:

  • Robust training resources for promoters, staff, and first responders 
  • Concert Attendee Code of Conduct which should be part of the ticketing process  
  • Implementation of a universal permitting template 

RELATED: Texas Task Force on Concert Safety releases final report in wake of deadly Astroworld Festival

RELATED: Travis Scott announces 'Project HEAL' program; expects to find solutions that support event safety

Below is what we know about the ten people who died as a result of the Astroworld tragedy:

Ezra Blount

We learned of the passing of 9-year-old Ezra Blount on Nov. 14. The family's attorney, Ben Crump, sent a statement announcing his death. Ezra had been on a ventilator and medically induced coma since he was severely injured at the concert.

Ezra's aunt had told us the child is an outgoing performer who loves to sing and dance. Travis Scott is his favorite rapper so his dad Treston took him to the concert. 

This is the statement from Crump's law firm: “The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son. This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer.” 

John Hilgert

Fourteen-year-old John Hilgert was a ninth-grade student from Memorial High School, according to Spring Branch ISD.

His family said he had a passion for baseball and golfing with his dad.

“John represented energy and caring love of being with his friends that has been so strongly expressed by so many since his passing. It’s impossible for our hearts to understand that we will never be with him again,” Dad Chris Hilgert said.

“The pain of our loss from our son John not making it home alive from an event such as this is intolerable. He was a beautiful young man who simply wanted to enjoy his first concert event with friends, whom he treasured spending time with more than anything else."

Brianna Rodriguez

Brianna Rodriguez, 16, is a Houston resident who attended Heights High School in HISD.

Brianna performed with the dance team and was a member of the band.

Credit: Provided

Jacob Jurinek

Jacob Jurinek, 20, died after attending the festival with Franco Patino, another one of the victims who died. The two were reportedly best friends, according to CBS Chicago.

Jurinek was a Naperville, Illinois, native and a student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The Southern Illinoisan newspaper reported that Jurinek was studying advertising and journalism at the university and had designed posters and social media banners for athletics at SIU.

“We are brokenhearted to lose a member of the Saluki family, Jacob Jurinek, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane said in a statement. “Jacob was a creative, intelligent young man, with a promising career in journalism and advertising. As we mourn this loss in our community, we will keep Jacob’s family and friends in our thoughts.”

Credit: Provided

Franco Patino

The University of Dayton confirmed mechanical engineering technology student Franco Patino, 21, was among those killed during Astroworld Festival.

Patino was a senior from Naperville, Illinois. He minored in human movement biomechanics.

According to school officials, he was a member of the Alpha Psi Lambda, a Hispanic interest fraternity. Patino was active in the campus Greek Life, as well as the local MEC community. He was a member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at UD, participated in the ETHOS program, and was currently working in an engineering coop program in Mason, Ohio.

Credit: Provided

Axel Acosta Avila

Axel Acosta Avila, 21, loved rap music and traveled from Washington to attend Astroworld Festival.

Axel's father, Edgar, described him as a great kid, an excellent student and someone who loved his family dearly, especially his grandparents.

"He was trying to study and go to school to be an engineer ... computer programmer ... because he wanted to provide for his family," Edgar said. "He was the first grandkid, he was the oldest one. He always took care of his cousins and nieces.”

Tony Buzbee is representing the Acosta family in a lawsuit against Scott and several of the festival organizers.

Credit: Family

Bharti Shahani

Bharti Shahani, 22, died from injuries sustained at Astroworld Festival.

Shahani was a Texas A&M student who was taken to the ICU after being critically injured at the festival. She remained in ICU until she died on Nov. 11.

RELATED: Astroworld victim Bharti Shahani dies after being critically injured during crowd surge, family confirms

Shahani was an electronic systems engineering technology major and a Houston native, according to The Battalion, the A&M student newspaper.

Credit: Family
Bharti Shahani

Rudy Peña

Rudy Peña, a 23-year-old college student from Laredo, Texas, was killed in the crowd surge at Astroworld Festival, according to family members. They said he came to Houston for the concert with a group of friends.

"He was a people person," a friend said. "He introduced people to each other."

His older brother, Guadalupe Peña, set up a GoFundMe account to help his family with funeral expenses. Click here to donate.

Madison Dubiski

Madison Dubiski, 23, was a Cypress resident killed at Astroworld Festival.

Madison's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Their attorney's released the following statement:

"This tragedy was preventable. Madison’s family filed this lawsuit to make sure that the truth of what went so horrifically wrong at the Astroworld Festival is discovered. This lawsuit will make sure that those responsible are held fully accountable and that something like this never happens to another family," attorneys Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin said.

Credit: Provided

Danish Baig

Danish Baig, 27, was trying to protect his fiancé from being trampled when he was fatally injured during Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival concert, according to his brother, Basil Baig.

"People were trampled, walked, and stomped on. My brother tried to save my sister in law from these horrendous acts that were being done to her in the process he lost his life. My brother Danish Baig a beautiful soul whos [sic] smile would light up the room and put everyone before himself. Last night he showed his courageous act to save my sister in law/his fiance [sic] from those horrendous things that were being done. I am lost of words and in true trauma from this event. I was there and i wasnt [sic] able to save my brother," Basil Baig said in a Facebook post.

Basil Baig said his brother was laid to rest on Nov. 8 in Colleyville, Texas.

A medical examiner reported Danish's real name is "Mirza Baig," but his brother identified him as "Danish Baig."

Credit: Provided

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