Human Interest Real People Real People Tragedy 6-Year-Old Girl Dead After 'Freak Accident' Involving Her Brother's Badminton Racket The racket pierced Lucy Morgan in the skull while she was on a family vacation in Maine By Bailey Richards Bailey Richards Bailey Richards is a writer-reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023 and interned with the brand in 2022. Her work has previously appeared in digital publications like Paper Magazine and TV Insider. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 10, 2024 10:13AM EDT A 6-year-old girl has died after her brother’s badminton racket broke and a piece of it struck her in the skull. New Jersey native Lucy Morgan was on a family vacation in Maine on June 1 when the incident — which her father later dubbed a “freak accident” — occurred, according to a news release from Maine State Police. Lucy was playing outside with her siblings, including the 10-year-old brother whose racket struck her, when she received the “unintentional” and ultimately fatal injury, police said. According to Lucy’s father, Jesse Morgan, his family of six — himself, his wife Bethany, and their children: Silas, Shiloh, Lucy, and Atticus — were enjoying a “beautiful” morning at their lake cottage on the last day of their vacation when the incident occurred, he wrote on his blog, New Creation Living. “We were eating a quick lunch by the lake and the kids decided to try badminton in the front yard,” he wrote. “Bethany and I were relaxing in the back when we heard screaming.” Authorities later learned that “the aluminum shaft of a badminton racket had become dislodged from the wooden handle, causing the shaft to strike the girl in the head, piercing through her skull,” the news release stated. First responders arrived on the scene in Limerick, Maine, around 12:00 p.m. local time and transported the 6-year-old to a Sanford medical center. She then went to another in Portland. Lucy Morgan. Morgan Family According to Jesse, Lucy “went right to the operating room where they removed part of her skull to relieve pressure and deal with her injury.” “She coded, they got her back, and they completed the surgery,” he wrote on June 2. “In the PICU we are being told that there is a very slim chance she recovers. She is currently intubated, has no brain function but occasionally [breathes] on her own. We are praying for a miracle but our hearts hurt with incomprehensible pain.” At the time of the post, Jesse requested prayers that Lucy would make a full recovery. “We are hanging on,” he wrote, “but can’t imagine life without Lucy-goose.” A badminton racket. Getty Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. On June 4, the New Jersey pastor penned another update, writing, "There is a very good chance that she passes away and meets Jesus within 24 hours." "If there is any good news in this, it’s that she hasn’t felt any pain over the past few days," he added. Jesse also used the blog post to share updates about the rest of the Morgan family. “My poor wife is barely eating (we got some Chick-Fil-A in her),” he wrote. “We’re sleeping as best we can and our children are processing as best they can.” The following day, Lucy died from her injuries, according to both police and her father’s account. Green Pond Bible Chapel, where Jesse is a worship and discipleship pastor, will hold a funeral service for Lucy on June 15. It will also be livestreamed on the church’s website. A GoFundMe page for the family has raised over $100,000 as of Saturday afternoon.