The family of Ezra Blount — the nine-year-old who died following Travis Scott‘s fatal Astroworld festival — has declined the rapper’s offer to pay for the boy’s funeral.
Scott, 30, extended the offer on Wednesday, Rolling Stone reported, after Blount died on Nov. 14 as a result of sustaining injuries at the event, which took place on Nov. 5.
A representative for Scott did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“Your client’s offer is declined,” Blount family lawyer Bob Hilliard wrote in a letter to Scott’s lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, per Rolling Stone. “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.”
Hilliard added, “There may be, and I hope there is, redemption and growth for [Scott] 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.”
“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 in an offer from Scott sent to Hilliard, per Rolling Stone. “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.”
Ezra attended Astroworld with his father, Treston Blount. He fell from Treston’s shoulders during a deadly crowd surge and was trampled by festival-goers, ABC 13 Houston reported earlier this month. His injuries landed him in Texas Children’s Hospital, where he was put in a medically induced coma after suffering brain swelling and organ damage.
“I just think there should be some accountability, cause for my grandson to end up the way he did, something terrible happened. He’s a small, innocent child, he didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve it at all,” Ezra’s grandfather, Bernon Blount, told ABC at the time.
“He’s just coming into town to see one of his favourite artists, and to be trampled like that, and really left in the hospital with no one knowing where he was, that’s heartbreaking,” he added. “As the citizens of Houston, we don’t deserve it, and my grandson certainly didn’t deserve it.”
Ezra’s family filed a lawsuit against Scott, Live Nation Entertainment, Score more Mgmt and others in early November. The suit alleges “grossly negligent conduct” contributed to Ezra’s death after the boy was “kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death” while attending Astroworld.
The suit also “alleges negligence in a great number of aspects, including crowd control, failure to provide proper medical attention, hiring, training, supervision and retention” and seeks monetary relief of over $1 million.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE at the time, Live Nation said it would “continue to support and assist local authorities in their ongoing investigation so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time.”
