PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie amusement center where a 6-year-old girl died in a go-kart crash last year is facing mounting legal and financial troubles, according to court records and interviews.
WATCH BELOW: 'When a company is in financial straits, the first thing that they cut is safety,' Attorney Khalil Farah tells WPTV's Dave Bohman
Emma Riddle was killed in December 2025 at Urban Air Adventure Park in Port St. Lucie when the go-kart she was riding in with her mother was rear-ended by another go-kart. The go-karts have not operated at the facility since her death.
Court records show six lawsuits involving go-kart crashes have been filed against Urban Air Adventure Park locations in the last three years. One remains active, while five were settled.
The lawsuits contain allegations that Urban Air failed to maintain equipment properly, provide safe instructions to drivers, and adequately monitor other drivers. Three lawsuits claim drivers suffered "disability, permanent and significant scarring" and required hospitalization and medical treatment.
"This company isn't fulfilling their part properly by supervising the children," said Alexis Li, whose 10-year-old daughter was in a go-kart crash at Urban Air two months before Riddle's death.
Li said her daughter was rear-ended by older children while on the go-karts.
WATCH BELOW: Girl wasn't wearing seat belt during fatal go-kart crash, report says
"My daughter was on the go-karts and there were older children slamming behind her, rear ending her," Li said.
Attorney Tom Hasty represents the Riddle family and said they are "struggling every day." His experts want to examine the go-kart involved in Emma's crash, which is currently at the Port St. Lucie Police Station.
Hasty fears the go-kart's manufacturer could avoid accountability if the vehicle is defective, noting the company told him "they do not carry general liability insurance, or liability insurance for these products."
Attorney Khalil Farah's law firm represented four clients who settled with Urban Air Jacksonville.
"Anytime you operate something like a go-kart or bumper cars or whatever it is, you can't just put people in the seats and just tell them to go," Farah said.
Urban Air did not respond to questions about its equipment, instructions, monitoring, or injuries. After the deadly crash, Urban Air's parent company released a statement saying their "policies, procedures and equipment are designed to keep children and families safe, and the well-being of the children and families we serve is always our top priority."
When approached for comment at the Port St. Lucie location, a manager said "no comment" and asked the reporter to leave. Richard Afolabi, who owns the Port St. Lucie and Daytona Beach Urban Air outlets, did not return calls.
Court records in St. Lucie County reveal additional financial troubles for the company. The shopping center that rents property to Urban Air claims the company owes almost $270,000 in back rent. Another lawsuit filed by the St. Lucie County Tax Collector claims Urban Air owes $83,000 in taxes over the last three years.
"I think the unfortunate fact is when a company is in financial straits, the first thing that they cut is safety, especially we see it in the service industry all the time, when staff is stretched thin, they're not doing the safety checks that they're supposed to be doing," Farah said.
Riddle family attorney Hasty has not filed a lawsuit yet but said he intends to.
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