BOSTON – A Medford woman has filed a wrongful death suit against a Tewksbury gym, three years after her 14-year-old daughter died in a cheerleading accident there.
Ashley Burns died from a lacerated spleen in August 2005 after performing a routine cheerleading stunt at the East Elite Cheer Gym.
The suit says Burns was "popped" up by two cheerleaders and attempted to perform a double-twist dismount, but fell.
Burns mother, Ruth Burns, told the Boston Herald she's been living her "worst nightmare" and wants to find out who's responsible for what happened. She said she hopes the suit will lead to new national safety standards for cheerleaders.
The Tewksbury gym did not comment.
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