ORLANDO, Fla. – The father of a Missouri teenager killed after falling from a Central Florida amusement park ride said Monday he fears his son’s death will be forgotten with tragic consequences for future ride patrons.
Yarnell Sampson said that unless there safety changes on such tower drop rides, “somebody else is going to die.”
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His son, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson died in March on the Free Fall ride in Orlando.
State Rep. Geraldine Thompson said she is drafting a bill that would take a company’s safety history into account more closely when applying for permits to open such rides.
An autopsy released last week confirmed that the teen died of blunt force trauma after falling from the 430-foot drop-tower.
The report by the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office also ruled that Tyre Sampson’s death in March was an accident.
Sampson slipped out of his seat about halfway down the Free Fall ride. The ride, which has been shut down indefinitely, is the world’s tallest free fall amusement park ride.
The autopsy also showed that Sampson, who played football in the St. Louis area, weighed 383 pounds when he died.
Sampson was in Orlando with a friend’s family for vacation.
An initial probe found sensors were adjusted manually to double the size of restraints on his seat.
Sampson’s parents have since sued the ride’s owner, manufacturer and landlord, claiming they were negligent and failed to provide a safe amusement ride.