ORLANDO, Fla. — A lawsuit alleges that employees at The Boathouse in Disney Springs watched a father choke on a piece of steak but delayed calling 911, instead contacting security first, leading to his death.
Kevin Duncan, 42, of Ocala, was in Orlando attending a dance competition with his daughter on June 7, 2025, when the choking incident occurred, according to court filings. Family and friends attempted the Heimlich maneuver, but the restaurant staff reportedly did not summon emergency medical services immediately.
Lawyers for Duncan’s family say the delay caused severe hypoxia and cardiopulmonary arrest, leading to him being placed on a ventilator on June 8 and his death on June 9, 2025.
The legal complaint states that employees, including an on-duty manager, were aware that Duncan was in medical distress, yet more than two minutes elapsed before 911 was called. The lawsuit alleges that Boathouse management had a policy requiring staff to contact security first, rather than immediately calling emergency services, and failed to adequately train employees for choking emergencies.
“Choking of restaurant patrons is a known and foreseeable risk… the reasonable response is to immediately call 911,” the complaint reads.
Duncan’s death left a profound impact on his daughter’s dance team. A Facebook post memorialized him as a “beloved dance dad” and urged the community to keep the family in their thoughts. A GoFundMe describes Duncan as someone whose “greatest joy was his children.”
The Boathouse, part of Gibsons Restaurant Group, is a popular Disney Springs restaurant that opened in 2015. A spokesperson said, “We are very sorry for the tragic loss of life… Because this is an active legal matter, we are unable to comment at this time.”
The lawsuit seeks accountability for the alleged delay in emergency response that contributed to Duncan’s death.
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