Florida teen was turned away twice from rides before falling from plunge attraction
Two attractions now closed at Orlando park
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The family of a Florida teenager who died after falling from a 430 ft attraction say he was turned away from other rides because of his size.
Speaking on Tuesday, a cousin of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson said he wanted to ride two rides at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, but was turned away on Friday.
“‘They said I’m too big. I can’t ride,’“ his cousin Shay Johnson recalled after speaking with Tyre on the phone.
She told Spectrum News 13 that although Tyre was turned away from two attractions at ICON Park, he was not turned away by the Orlando FreeFall.
The attraction is a drop tower that is 430ft tall and reaches speeds of 75 mph, and is operated by the SlingShot Group as well as the SlingShot ride at ICON Park.
“He called me he say, ‘They let me ride. I can ride. I can ride,’” Ms Johnson remembered Tyre telling her before riding the Orlando FreeFall, moments before his death.
Tyre’s father told reporters that his son weighed about 340 lbs, which according to reports was 53lbs above the weight limit mentioned the operating manual for the Orlando FreeFall.
“My son was 6’5” 340. So, he’s a big guy,” said his father, Yarnell Sampson.
In an initial statement on Friday, ICON park said “a 14-year-old male was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries”, after falling from the FreeFall.
The SlingShot Group was asked on Monday to close both of its attractions at the park, with ICON Park saying its “mission is to provide safe, family entertainment.”
According to CNN, an incident report filed with Florida’s Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found that Tyre’s “harness was still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped”.
It also reported that witnesses saw Tyre falling from the ride on its descent.
The teenager’s family have since called for the Orlando FreeFall attraction to be permanently closed, and an investigation by police from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is ongoing.
The Independent approached ICON Park and Funtime, of the SlingShot Group, for comment.