Parents of Girl Killed by Puck Got $1.2 Million

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The parents of a 13-year-old girl killed by a hockey puck got $1.2 million in a settlement with the NHL and other groups, according to a copy of the agreement made public Wednesday.

Brittanie Cecil’s family reached the settlement last year, but it was sealed until Wednesday, when the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that it was a public record and must be made public in response to a request from WBNS-TV of Columbus.

Brittanie Cecil died after being struck at a March 2002 Columbus Blue Jacket game.

The team, league and Nationwide Arena agreed to pay $705,000 to Jody Sergent, the girl’s mother, and $470,000 to David Cecil, the girl’s father.

The court ruled, 6-1, that Preble County Probate Judge Wilfred Dues erred in creating an exception to the state’s public records laws to protect the family’s privacy rights.