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Parents Sue Salt Lake City After Son’s 2024 Death in Jet Engine at SLC Airport

The filing argues airport missteps turned a mental health crisis into a fatal security breakdown.

Overview

  • Judd and Lisa Efinger filed the suit on Jan. 1, 2026, seeking damages exceeding $300,000 and requesting a jury trial.
  • The complaint says surveillance shows Kyler Efinger exiting through an emergency door that lacked a delayed‑egress lock and immediate alerting, allowing access to the tarmac.
  • Audio cited in the filing describes confused dispatcher directions that sent officers to the wrong area until 10:02 p.m., which an officer called a “wild goose chase.”
  • The suit alleges air traffic control and pilots were not warned that a disoriented person was on the runway as an Airbus A220 began taxiing near the deicing pad.
  • Salt Lake City declined to comment due to pending litigation, while the family argues he could have survived if located roughly 30 seconds earlier.