More families reject Travis Scott’s offer to cover funeral costs
“I find offering to pay for funerals frankly demeaning and really inappropriate”
Just a day after the family of nine-year-old Astroworld victim Ezra Blount rejected Travis Scott’s offer to cover his funeral expenses, more families have followed suit.
Four more families have rejected the offer given by Scott just days after the tragedy at November’s Astroworld Festival, where 10 people died after sustaining injuries in a crowd crush.
Half of the victims families have now denied Scott’s offer, including those of 21-year-old friends Jacob Jurinek and Franco Patino.
The family of 21-year old Axel Acosta have also rejected the offer, as well as those of 14-year-old John Hilgert, whose lawyer, Richard Mithoff, told Rolling Stone: “It was not an offer [the Hilgerts] were going to seriously consider.”
Read this next: Family of nine-year-old Astroworld victim rejects Travis Scott's offer to cover funeral costs
“Of all the things this case is about, that’s the least of any concern. This family is set on making change and ensuring this never happens at a concert again,” he said.
“I find offering to pay for funerals frankly demeaning and really inappropriate to the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolded.”
Philip Corboy, lawyer for the families of 21-year-old friends Jurinek and Patino, said that they felt the offer was an attempt to “lessen the public outcry on his case”.
Read this next: Megan Thee Stallion cancels Houston show "out of respect" to Astroworld victims
“If he’s trying to impress upon the families that he’s sincere and has concern for them and realize that funerals can be expensive, what Scott’s team did is not the way to do it…"
He added, “you don’t get a piece of paper in the mail from a lawyer in Beverly Hills who says he represents Travis Scott. These families are raw right now; that lacks any personal touch.”
The family of another Astroworld victim, Axel Acosta, came forward to argue that Scott’s offer was disingenuous, and would make the rapper look good in the situation.
“If you gave a shit about these families, you wouldn’t have to put out a press release for everyone to see saying he’s willing to pay for a funeral,” he said.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter