Glenwood Caverns Files Chapter 11 After Nine-Figure Judgment Over 6-Year-Old's Death

Glenwood Caverns Holdings LLC moved for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware after a wrongful-death judgment tied to the 2021 death of 6-year-old Wongel Estifanos on the Haunted Mine Drop ride. Local reporting and court coverage say a Garfield County jury found the park partially responsible; multiple outlets reported a final judgment of more than $116 million in November, while Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Sun reported a $205 million award.

The filing was described in park statements republished across local outlets. “Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware today following the recent judgment against it stemming from a tragic accident that occurred there in 2021,” the park said. The statement added, “The Chapter 11 process will allow Glenwood Caverns to continue operating while creating a structured, court-supervised process that ensures fairness and transparency as it pursues reorganization.”

Media accounts differ on the exact petition timing. Articles published Feb. 10, 2026 said the company filed “on Monday,” and one account gave the filing date as Monday, February 9, 2026. The park’s statement framed Chapter 11 as a way to stabilize operations: “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,” and it also said, “We recognize the unimaginable loss of the Estifanos family.”

Details from the civil trial and related court filings show a steep gap between the judgment and the company’s liability coverage. AspenTimes and other local reporting cite court filings that the park carries about $5 million in liability insurance, far less than the nine-figure judgment reported by several outlets. One review of trial coverage noted the jury deliberated nearly seven hours before returning its verdict.

Investigative reporting by Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Sun provided additional operational findings included in the public record: state investigators concluded the child was not properly secured by park employees, that operators failed to notice she was sitting on top of two seatbelts meant to restrain her, and that employees overrode a security light alerting them she was not buckled in. That reporting states the child fell 110 feet and notes the Garfield County district attorney declined to file criminal charges.

The Haunted Mine Drop was closed after the 2021 incident and later reopened in June 2023 under the name Crystal Tower with redesigned safety features, according to local coverage. Park officials reiterated that day-to-day operations and scheduled events will continue, with one outlet quoting the park: “The park will continue to operate as usual, with no impact to day-to-day operations or scheduled events.”

Local reporting includes a family-provided photo of Wongel posing in front of a “Find Your Wings” installation in downtown Glenwood Springs on Sept. 4, 2021, supplied via the Dan Caplis Law Firm and credited Dan Caplis/Courtesy. The Chapter 11 filing opens a court-supervised reorganization path in Delaware while the community and legal parties sort through the judgment figures and insurance shortfall.