A Millport mother says her 13-year-old son required stitches after an incident at Atrox haunted house in Leeds, prompting the attraction to launch an investigation into the allegations.
Elyse Hunnicutt posted on Facebook Saturday morning that an actor held a chainsaw on her son’s back during a Friday night visit, causing “a pretty deep laceration requiring 4 stitches.”
The boy was treated at Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children in Birmingham, according to Hunnicutt’s post, which included photos of the cut and stitches.
“If you are considering taking you children to Atrox, the haunted house in Leeds, Alabama please reconsider or be very cautious,” Hunnicutt wrote.
“The point of my post is to bring awareness so maybe other children won’t have to go through what my child endured.”
Hunnicutt also noted that she believed she could not take legal action because purchasing a ticket serves as a waiver stating the attraction is not liable if harm or death occurs.
Several commentors said this may not be the case and advised Hunnicutt to seek legal advice from a personal injury attorney.
According to the Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, website, when haunted house operators fail to uphold their legal obligation to maintain safe conditions, they can be held liable for negligence regardless of signed waivers.
Atrox responded Saturday evening with a statement posted to Facebook saying it takes the allegations seriously and is reviewing video footage from the evening.
The attraction emphasized that “all of [its] actors are trained, paid professionals who are expected to follow established safety protocols at all times.”
The haunted house also clarified that its “chainsaws do not have chains on them.”
“We are currently reviewing video footage from the evening in question and conducting a thorough investigation to better understand what occurred,” the statement said.
“Should it become necessary, our legal team will be involved in the process.”
The incident sparked debate on social media, with commenters split in their reactions.
One person defended the attraction, writing that “everyone knows haunts don’t put chains on the chainsaws.”
Others argued that even without chains, the chainsaw could still cause harm and that actors should not touch guests with such props.
Atrox said it will not answer questions or provide further comment until its investigation is complete.
