Overview
- An 18-year-old visitor, Romanch Mahajan, was killed after a horse-drawn carriage bolted near the Cherry Hill fountain and he fell from the vehicle on June 17, 2025.
- This week the family filed four notices of claim seeking a combined $105 million from New York City, a required step before suing and formalizing allegations of municipal negligence.
- The filings cite stray electrical voltage as a possible trigger for the horse’s agitation and name Con Edison along with multiple city agencies as responsible parties.
- Con Edison has said it detected very low levels of stray voltage on July 16 and July 23 but that the readings did not originate from its equipment, and city crews temporarily cut power near the fountain while investigators examined the site.
- The case has intensified pressure on City Hall: the Council is poised to vote on a bill to phase out carriage rides by June 2028 while unions call for complete electrical and safety reviews to protect drivers’ livelihoods and ensure public safety.