Family of 9-Year-Old Astroworld Festival Victim Rejects Travis Scott’s Offer to Pay for His Funeral

Despite Travis Scott's announcement that he'd be covering funeral costs for the victims that died at his Astroworld Festival last month, the family of the 9-year-old who lost his life after sustaining severe injuries at the event has declined the rapper's offer.

According to a report from Rolling Stone on Monday (Nov. 29), the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, who was laid to rest on Nov. 23 in Texas, refused Travis Scott's gesture to pay for the young boy's burial. XXL obtained the legal documents from Travis Scott's attorney, which was a letter sent to the Blount family, as well as a response from Bob Hilliard, the attorney representing Erza's family. Hilliard responded with a letter to La Flame's attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, which read, "Your client’s offer is declined. I have no doubt Mr. Scott feels remorse. His journey ahead will be painful. He must face and hopefully see that he bears some of the responsibility for this tragedy."

The letter from Bob Hilliard reads in full:

Dear Mr. Petrocelli,

 

The loss of a child is like a faucet of unimaginable pain that has no off handle.   To lose a child  in the manner Treston lost Ezra compounds the pain—as a parent, Treston cannot help but agonize over the terrible idea that Ezra’s last minutes were filled with terror, suffering, suffocation and worst of all surrounded by strangers, his dad unconscious underneath the uncontrolled crowd.

 

I don’t know if you’re a father. I don’t know if your client is a father. If you are, then all you have to do is put your child at 9 years old  in Ezra’s place and  you both know what happens to your gut, at the most basic and instinctive level.

 

Your client’s offer is declined.  I have no doubt Mr. Scott feels remorse.  His journey ahead will be painful. He must face and hopefully see that he bears some of the responsibility for this tragedy. There may be, and I hope there is, redemption and growth for him on the other side of what this painful process will be—and perhaps one day, once time allows some healing for the victims and acceptance of responsibility by Mr. Scott and others, Treston and Mr. Scott might meet---as there is also healing in that. For now, Mr. Scott  must respect the fact that his pain and his devastation pale to Treston’s, Ezra’s mom, and the other victims.

 

I thank you for your note and I offer the above respectfully and directly so as to be sure we share an understanding of the path ahead.

 

 

Travis Scott's lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, sent the initial offer to cover Ezra Blount's funeral arrangements to Hilliard and his co-counsel, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, on Nov. 24, the day after Ezra was laid to rest.

"Travis is devastated by the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld Festival and grieves for the families whose loved ones died or were injured," Petrocelli wrote to the Blount family's legal team. "Travis is committed to doing his part to help the families who have suffered and begin the long process of healing in the Houston community. Toward that end, Travis would like to pay for the funeral expenses for Mr. Blount’s son."

On Nov. 15, Ezra Blount died after being trampled at Astroworld Festival earlier this month. Blount, the youngest victim to lose their life following injuries sustained at the mass casualty event, is the 10th fatality from the concert. Blount suffered damage to his brain, liver and kidney and was placed in a medically-induced coma.

The family released a statement regarding the passing of their loved one: "The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son. This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer."

As previously reported, Travis Scott's annual Astroworld Festival, which took place at NRG Stadium in Houston on Nov. 5, ended with a deceased count of 10 people, hundreds of injuries and has resulted in hundreds of lawsuits amounting to nearly $3 billion.

During the 50,000-capacity show, a crowd surge transpired when Travis hit the stage. Fans then began compressing towards the front of the stage, causing people to be crushed, trampled and suffer cardiac arrest.

Travis Scott announced shortly after the event that he'd cover the funeral costs of all victims and provide mental health support for those impacted by the calamity.

He had maintained a low-profile publicly following the festival, but was recently spotted out with actor Mark Wahlberg and Corey Gamble, who is dating Kris Jenner, the mother of Kylie Jenner whom Travis is dating and is expecting a second child with.

XXL has reached out to attorneys for Ezra Blount's family and Travis Scott as well as a rep for the rapper for a comment.