The operator failed to properly secure Sampsons seat, which allowed him to fall from the ride. Tyre died on March 24, 2022, when he fell out of the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park, which is owned and operated by the SlingShot Group. Parents of Tyre Sampson, who died at a Florida amusement park, say they felt helpless in learning about their son's death. The rides manual states that riders should be at least two hundred and seven pounds to be safe. Fact? In an interview with NBC News, Carl Sampson, Tyre's uncle, said Tyre was respectful and intelligent. So, he's a big guy.". "Thats when he started freaking out, and he was explaining to his friend next to him, I dont know man. "This could've been prevented it should've been prevented," Nekia Dodd, the mother of Tyre Sampson, told "GMA." Friends of the deceased teen revealed he was prevented from riding on other rides on ICON Park because his physique raised major safety concerns. The ride operator must be held accountable for the negligence of his actions. Football coach Brandon Gregory, thought to have been with Tyre on the night, wrote: "Get your rest kid. He also said the incident underscores the importance of ride operators properly checking restraints. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office released the FreeFall Investigation Report on Monday, March 28, to the public andnotedthe ride had passed inspections on Dec. 15, 2021, and the operator was trained to operate it. The ride will be closed indefinitely, said John Stine, spokesperson for the Slingshot Group of Companies, which owns and operates the ride. Tyre's father, Yarnell Sampson, told Fox 13 his son was visiting Orlando from St. Louis, Missouri, with his football team. This is unbelievable. The FreeFall, boasted as a record-breaking ride,opened just last year in December. In his honor, the company has decided to create a scholarship in his name. "It could have been prevented.". The harness element should have a gap of three to four inches between the riders shoulders and his legs. Tyre Sampson was killed while on a free fall ride at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida. Following the report, ICON Park said in a statement, "We are deeply troubled that the preliminary findings of the State's investigation indicate a sensor on the Orlando FreeFall attraction, which is owned and operated by the SlingShot Group, had been mis-adjusted after the sensor was originally secured in place. As a coach you hate that phone call I received last night. Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson described living a parent's worst nightmare when they were each told their 14-year-old son, Tyre Sampson, had fallen to his death at a Florida amusement park. Shay Johnson, Sampsons cousin, said the operator should have turned the boy away after he was previously turned away from other rides that same evening. Tired of reading? Larger attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are not bound by any state-mandated investigations or inspections. The 14-year-old boy who fell to his death at a Florida amusement park earlier this year exceeded the ride's weight limit by nearly 100 pounds, according to an autopsy report obtained by CNN.. A ride worker was seen apparently joking about the seat belts and safety just moments before Tyre fell to his death. Questions raised after boy falls from ICON Park ride, dies. "As a father with boys who go on rides and who frequent amusement parks a lot, you know, it's just a tragic situation.". Cellphone video shows the moments before a 14-year-old boy fell from an Orlando drop tower ride. Unfortunately, Tyre had a gap between 6-7 inches. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Orlando Sentinel. At least 50 feet, which doesn't seem that much but it really is. His injuries were extensive, including multiple fractures to his head, arm and leg, and broken ribs. The ride opened in ICON Park in center of Orlando's Entertainment District late last year, according to a January release from the park. Sampson Autopsy Report by Chris Vaughn on Scribd, Since Tyre Sampson died after falling from the FreeFall drop-tower at ICON Park on March 24, people have paid tribute to him near the ride. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Tyre Sampson, 14, died from falling from a ride, Yarnell Sampson said his son knew his seat belt was not buckled right, Tyre fell from the world's tallest free fall ride, Footage appears to show Tyre's harness was buckled incorrectly, While, others asked about seatbelts as they strapped themselves in, Tyre Sampson, 14, knew something was wrong with his harness and was freaking out before Icon theme park fall, dad says, Pedestrian who killed cyclist in clash over riding on pavement is JAILED after victim, 77, fell into path of car, Model 'paid thousands to smuggle 5m criminal cash into Dubai by hiding money in her holiday luggage', Dad 'fatally shot daughter, 7, in head & gunned down headteacher mum' who died of 'shock' from wounds in double killing, Rolf Harris sued over 'fresh sex attack after molesting vulnerable 10-year-old girl at school holiday camp', UK weather: Exact date snow and hail will hit Britain as chilly winds from the north blow in -1C temperatures, Frogmore eviction shows King Charles has drawn a line with Harry - now he must do two more things with the spoilt brat, Im a prison officer & worked with some of Britains feared men but I made a BIG mistake on my first month on the wing, failed to properly secure the teenager's seatbelt, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Tyre Sampson was visiting the state, Orange County Sheriff John W. Mina said. Text. Tyre Sampson, 14, of Missouri, fatally fell off the FreeFall attraction in Orlando, Florida on Thursday. His parents filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit on Monday. The ride operator must ensure that passengers are properly secured in their seats. The cause of Tyre Sampson's death was "blunt force trauma," medical examiner reports The 14-year-old died when he fell from the Orlando FreeFall drop-tower ride Sampson had fractures and. Sampson, the father of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old St. Louis County boy who was killed Thursday night when he fell from an amusement park ride in Orlando, said he feels as though his world. Tyres parents have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against ICON Park and the rides operator and manufacturer, among others, though they are being represented by separate attorneys. The decision to take down the 430-foot-tall Orlando FreeFall tower and ride at ICON Park outside Orlando was made because of Tyre Sampsons March 24 death, the operator said in an online statement. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. The firm, Florida-based Quest Engineering and Failure Analysis, will "basically reenact the scene and come to the conclusions of what happened," Fried said. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Tyre Sampson, 14, is said to have suffered severe head, neck, and body injuries, as well as internal . He's dead. Discovery Company. The eighth grader was a star football player who was visiting the theme park with his team. As public health restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic are being abandoned nationwide, there is a mad dash on the part of corporations to open up their operations full-bore to reap massive profits. Evidence has emerged demonstrating an absence of critical safety equipment and oversight on the FreeFall attraction. When the magnets engaged the patron came out of the seat. Martin told USA TODAY that such a belt is a generally a standard part of ride safety in similar attractions. Ride safety experts say his seat locked but was not pulled d. The lawsuit says a seatbelt could have saved his life. Tyre Sampson/NBC Screengrab. Some 10 minutes after taking off and as the ride was slowing down, Sampson was seen dislodged from his seat. His harness was still in the down position when the ride came to a stop. Sampsons death has prompted an investigation into the accident. The FreeFall takes riders up and then drops them nearly 400 feet at speeds that reach more than 75 mph, according to the park. The 'mis-adjustment' of a harness sensor contributed to a teen's deadly fall from his amusement ride seat, engineering firm finds. When asked about the scholarship, Yarnell Sampson told CNN: They are trying to do the right thing. Your email address will not be published. Tyre Sampson died from blunt force trauma after falling from the FreeFall ride at ICON Park in Orlando. While over-the-shoulder harnesses are the generally accepted practice for most drop tower rides, companies often install a secondary safety mechanism like a seatbelt that attaches the harness to the seat. ICON park is an entertainment complex in Orlando that includes amusement park rides as well shopping, dining, an aquarium, a Madame Tussauds wax museum and other attractions. The ride operator should have ceased the ride if Sampson became unsecured. "It is hard to believe," he said. Learn More. The familys attorney did not respond to a request for comment. The decrease in 2020 is probably the result of closures because of the coronavirus pandemic, the commission said. No one could have survived this preventable fall from over a hundred feet in the air at that speed, Michael Haggard, an attorney for Tyres mother, Nekia Dodd, told The Washington Post on Tuesday. The initial accident report stated that the magnets in Tyres seat engaged and the ride stopped abruptly. Witnesses on the ride and in the surrounding area can be heard crying with terror as the boy flew out of his chair and fell flat on the ground. Its an emotional day. Just the fact that the company was completely clueless about what to do is an indicator that safety wasnt taken seriously. When the ride dropped, the bar could have opened even more, up to 11 inches, and investigators said Tyre "slipped through the gap between the seat and the harness" as the ride slowed down. The attorney did not offer any additional details on the video or the incident, CNN reported. Now the tragic death of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who died March 24 when he fell from the FreeFall ride at ICON Park in Orlando, is . ", Another added as the ride began: "Have you checked your seat belt? During a press conference on March 25, 2022, Orange County. She plans to introduce a bill that would ensure that free-fall rides are made safer. Molly Sampson, a 9-year-old budding palaeontologist living in the US state of Maryland, spent Christmas morning wading through the waters of a state park looking for fossils. March 31, 2022 / 5:00 AM / CBS Miami ORLANDO (CBSMiami/CNN) - An investigation by the state revealed that the seat Tyre Sampson fell to his death from on an amusement park ride was locked at. Sampson's description of his son's fear matches what a woman told a 911 operator just after the tragic fall. View our online Press Pack. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Yarnell Sampson added that Tyre, 14, begged friends next to him to tell his parents he loved them. The ride tilting forward increases the importance of a properly functioning harness due to the G-forces riders experience at the bottom, said Ken Martin, a Virginia-based amusement park safety analyst who works with parks, fairs, government entities, insurance companies and attorneys. Seat belt? WATCH: Protest erupts outside ICON Park after teen's memorial cleanedThe father of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson will be at the freefall ride Monday afternoon, standing alongside lawyer Ben Crump . The chief medical examiner determined that Tyre suffered facial fractures and lacerations as well as numerous internal injuries. Deputies received a 911 call and responded to ICON Park shortly after 11 p.m. where witnesses said someone had fallen from the Free Fall ride, the Orange County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. Police identified the young man as Tyre Sampson of Missouri, who was visiting central Florida with a friend's family. He described it as the biggest smack I ever heard in my life. Another dispatcher gave instructions to a different caller for CPR after seeing Sampson on the ground, but the caller said the youth was not breathing, while a pool of blood covered the area. The chief medical examiner determined Sampsons cause of death was "blunt force trauma," including several fractures and abrasions to his head, neck, and body. He was with a football friend who was also on the ride. Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson, his mother and father, filed a lawsuit in state court in Orlando on Monday claiming the defendants were negligent and failed to provide a safe amusement ride. 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