The family of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old woman who tragically died in a boat crash in 2019, has reached a $15 million settlement with Parker’s Kitchen, the convenience store that sold alcohol to an underage boater.
The boat was owned by the prominent Murdaugh family of South Carolina, with Paul Murdaugh, the son of disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh, at the helm during the fatal incident.
The Incident and Lawsuit
On February 23, 2019, Mallory Beach was among several passengers on a boating trip along the South Carolina coast. The boat, driven by Paul Murdaugh, crashed into a bridge near Parris Island, ejecting several passengers, including Beach. Her body was found nearly five miles from the crash site eight days later.
The Beach family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Murdaugh family and Parker’s Corporation, accusing them of contributing to Mallory’s death. The lawsuit alleged that Paul Murdaugh, underage at the time, used his mother’s credit card and his older brother’s ID to illegally purchase alcohol from a Parker’s Corporation convenience store earlier that day.
The Settlement
Family of Murdaugh Boat Crash Victim Mallory Beach Gets $15M in Wrongful Death Settlement https://t.co/xzNUq3MxJi
— People (@people) July 17, 2024
The settlement, which still awaits approval by a judge, involves the prominent Murdaugh family of the S.C. Lowcountry. The boat was owned by Paul’s father, Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted of murdering Paul and his mother in March.
Parker’s Corporation agreed to pay $15 million to the Beach family to settle the case out of court. Beach family attorney Mark Tinsley confirmed the settlement, stating that the money represents a level of accountability that they hope would make people who sell alcohol take their responsibility seriously.
Ongoing Legal Battles
Despite the settlement, the legal battles are not over. The Beach family has another lawsuit pending against Parker’s Corporation, accusing the company of creating a smear campaign against them amid efforts to fight the initial lawsuit.
