What happened to Kevin Duncan at The Boathouse?

Kevin Duncan choked on a piece of steak while dining at The Boathouse and later died, with a lawsuit alleging staff delays in calling 911 contributed to his death.

Why is The Boathouse being sued?

The Boathouse is being sued for negligence and wrongful death, with allegations that staff failed to promptly summon emergency medical services during a choking incident.

Did Disney World staff cause a death at The Boathouse?

A lawsuit claims staff at The Boathouse, a restaurant within Walt Disney World, delayed calling 911, leading to a patron's death. Disney is not named as a defendant.

Home / Crime and Justice / Disney Diner Death: Staff Delay Linked to Steak Choking Tragedy

Disney Diner Death: Staff Delay Linked to Steak Choking Tragedy

6 Jan

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Summary

Restaurant staff allegedly delayed calling 911 during a choking incident.
A father of three died after choking on steak at The Boathouse.
The lawsuit claims a delay in emergency services caused fatal harm.

Disney Diner Death: Staff Delay Linked to Steak Choking Tragedy

A tragic incident at Walt Disney World's The Boathouse restaurant has led to a lawsuit alleging that staff negligence contributed to the death of Kevin Duncan, a 42-year-old father of three. Duncan choked on a piece of steak on the evening of June 8, 2025, while dining with companions. The lawsuit, filed in Orange County, Florida, claims that restaurant employees did not promptly call 911, opting instead to contact security, which resulted in a critical delay in summoning emergency medical services.

The delay, described as lasting more than two minutes, allegedly caused Duncan to suffer severe hypoxia and cardiopulmonary arrest. Despite efforts by his companions and eventual transport to the hospital, he passed away the next day. The lawsuit asserts that a restaurant's duty of care in Florida includes summoning emergency assistance for patrons in obvious distress. It also alleges that an employee advised against calling 911 and that management deleted surveillance footage of the incident.