Someone said he was breathing, but we don't know. Yarnell added: That's when he started freaking out. GREG: AND IT PREYTT MUCH TELLS US WHAT WE SUSPECTED EARLY ON BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY THAT LED TO HIS DEATH. In a harrowing 911 call obtained by The US Sun, a caller can be heard telling Fire Rescue units that the rides staff didnt secure the seatbelt on him., When the 911 dispatcher asks the caller if Tyre was awake, the distraught caller graphically explains how the teen's "arms and feet are broken. As a coach you hate that phone call I received last night. I call that a drive-by inspection, Martin said. The passengers rise hundreds of feet above the ground before plunging at a rapid speed. If this is not so Do not let this person ride.. The engineering assessment massively discredits the claims of representatives of the operations company that conditions were safe for Sampson to enter the ride. The Sampson family filed a wrongful death lawsuit on April 25. "So this medical examiner's report confirms that Tyre was 97 pounds over the maximum requirement and he never, never should have been able to be on that ride in the first place.". Thompson said findings from the investigation could lead to a Tyre Sampson Bill, to address the unsafe conduct of the amusement industry, which is notoriously deregulated in Florida and throughout the US. Unlike the other riders sitting next to him, Tyre's harness doesn't appear to be pulled down all the way and fastened onto his seat. He was so happy.". The ride operator is shown telling the group that there 'ain't seatbelts' to hold them in, only the pull-down harnesses, Close up view of the Orlando Free Fall at ICON Park on Friday, March 25, 2022 in Orlando, ICON Park attractions, The Wheel, left, Orlando SlingShot, middle, and Orlando FreeFall, right, are shown in Orlando. It is considered the worlds tallest freestanding drop tower, according to theparks website. Again, everything was functioning properly when the ride started. They [ICON park staff] didn't secure the seatbelt on him," the caller claims. Tyre Sampson, 14, died on Thursday night after falling from a ride at Orlando's ICON theme park in Florida; . The Icon Park attraction said in a statement it is fully cooperating with investigators and that the Orlando FreeFall ride will be closed indefinitely. A rising middle school football player in Missouri, only 14 but already 6 feet, 5 inches tall and well over 300 pounds, Tyre Sampson fell to his death from a towering Florida amusement ride. The investigative report also analyzed video evidence at the time of the accident, which suggested the restraint opening initially was over six inches but, with the aforementioned compliance, may have grown to as much as 10 inches.. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Democratic State Representative for Orlandos district, Geraldine Thompson, criticized the rides owners and said that she and other officials would be pushing for more regulations for thrill attractions. A woman who called 911 told a dispatcher that Sampson was facedown, wasn't responsive and appeared to have broken his arms and legs. "It does appear to be just a tragic situation. Sampsons death was ruled an accident by the medical examiner. And he was explaining to his friends, next to him: "I don't know man, if I don't make it down, safely, can you please tell my momma and daddy that I love them,"' said Sampson. The adjustment of the proximity sensor locations has a direct effect on the restraint opening gap, or the location between the harness and the seats horn, a raised section on the front edge of the seat base that fits between the riders legs and is part of the rides restraint system. Tyre's father, Yarnell, said that his son was 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds, and was told by other rides in the park that he was too large to ride safely, but that the Free Fall ride operators waved him aboard. Seat belt.". Yarnell told WOFL-TV. The park did not respond to a request for comment by NBC News. A separate footage uploaded online shows the operator talking with riders before they take off into the air. The only thing stopping them from falling out of their seats were plastic, pull-down harnesses which are supposed to buckle in place, in between riders' legs. 5. His sondied after falling 400ft from the world's tallest drop ride at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which oversees amusement ride inspections with the exception of the state's largest theme parks, has launched an investigation and inspectors were at the site Friday, spokesperson Caroline Stoneciper said in an email. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Tyres seat harness does look loose, and I wonder if it needed to be clicked down another level to properly secure him. This story has been shared 101,455 times. The harness is a device that lowers over the rider's shoulders down onto their torso to complete the restraint system for the ride. Sampson, who was 340 pounds and stood 6 feet 5 inches tall, was denied entry to other rides at the park, his father, Yarnell Sampson said, adding that his son knew something was wrong the second the ride started. Shes distraught, Dodds attorney Michael Haggard said. He said he was set to be the starting offensive lineman at East St. Louis High School in the fall. They [ICON park staff] didnt secure the seatbelt on him.. In the meantime, ICON Park said it has notified the owner of the Orlando FreeFall, the SlingShot Group, demanding suspension not only of the operation of that ride but also the Orlando SlingShot, effective immediately, until the attractions are proven to be safe by authorities. Be careful when seeing if large guests fit into the seats, a manual for the attraction states. ", 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, 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, As the clocks go forward this weekend - 5 tips to get the kids off to sleep, Inside the Heavens Gate cult who believed they were graduating from Earth before mass suicide 25 years ago, Mystery as box of human bones found in garage as resident heard 'juvenile voices' before discovery, Rosemont Mall shooting news 'One dead and two hurt' as shoppers run for cover and police hunt suspect in Illinois, Inside Wendi Mae Davidson's chilling first interview from prison after stabbing husband 41 times and hiding body in pond, My ex-wife was shot dead at our son's grave our family will never be the same, Trans porn star Angelina Please's family fear she was robbed after shock death as safe SMASHED open and 'money stolen', failed to properly secure the teenager's seatbelt. Please enter valid email address to continue. "Get your rest kid, as a coach you hate that phone call I received last night, Please keep his family and former/current teammates and coaches in prayer #RIPBigTick . Step-mum Wendy called him a respectful gentle giant, adding he will be truly missed. 'This particular ride decided: "Yeah, we can take you, get on," when nobody else would allow him to get on the rides,' he added. Woman: It looks like his arms are broken and his legs. After they were back on the ground, video shows a different park worker run over to the ride attendant and ask: 'You didn't check it!? NOTE: GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner. A ride worker was seen apparently joking about the seat belts and safety just moments before Tyre fell to his death. We are devoted to working with our lawmakers in making lasting safety changes in the amusement park industry, Trevor Arnold, GrayRobinson P.A., attorney for Orlando Slingshot told WESH 2. Looks like his arms are broken and his legs,' the person said. ', The ride is pictured on Friday, the day after the accident, The6-foot-5, 340-pound teenager was on a trip with his football program, and was sitting next two two of his best friends when he plunged to his death, his father said. 911: Okay, okay, so was he up off the ground? The Orange County Sheriff's Department released new details about a 14-year-old boy who died Thursday after falling from a ride at Icon Park in Orlando, Florida. It was just after 11 p.m. on March 24 when Sampson and friends, who were visiting from St. Louis, boarded the 430-foot tall Free Fall ride. It appears to be a terrible tragedy, the sheriff said. 14-year-old dies after falling from ride at Orlando theme park, died Thursday after falling from a ride at Icon Park in Orlando, 6-year-old girl dies on amusement park ride in Colorado. Tyre Sampson was just 14 years old, and had been visiting ICON Park with his family when the fatal incident occurred. According to the ride's manual, the maximum passenger weight for the Orlando FreeFall, the tower ride that ultimately claimed Sampson's life, is about 286 pounds. Mina called Sampsons death a terrible tragedy and said the department was investigating it as an accident. He's face down, there's blood everywhere. The ride has over-the shoulder restraint harnesses, with two hand grips at the chest level, that riders pull down and then they are released automatically at the end of the ride. He had no way of knowing," said Bob Hilliard, a Texas attorney who represents Tyre's mother, Nekia Dodd, in an interview Saturday. During a recent news conference, Sheriff John Mina said a preliminary investigation appears to suggest that Sampson's death was accidental. Investigators this weekend continued to examine what happened Thursday night when Sampson dropped out of his seat from theOrlando Free Fall, a ride that is taller than the Statue of Liberty along a busy street in the heart of Orlando's tourist district not far from Disney World. The Orange County Sheriff's Department said Tyre Sampson was visiting central Florida with another family. The ride will not operate if those checks are not greenlighted, Stine asserted. According to an accident report, as the Orlando FreeFall came down the tower, the magnets engaged and Sampson came out of his seat. The 911 caller graphically described Tyre's injuries, including that he had 'blood . 6 Amazon travel essentials for your next getaway, starting at $12. It's unclear if he did fasten it before the ride began (pictured: Tyre, far right). His family is suing several parties involved in the accident, arguing that Sampsons death was preventable. (Photo: Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel. Tyre Sampson, 14, was visiting ICON Park with his family when the fatal incident occurred. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Boy, 8, hospitalized after getting hung from neck by rope ladder at PA amusement park, Girl clings from amusement park ride before dropping to the ground, injuring leg, Florida fairgoers get stuck upside-down on ride in terrifying mishap, Bob Iger jumping on Avatar boom with new ride at Disneyland. Authorities said the boy died from his injuries after falling from the Orlando Free Fall attraction, which takes riders 430 feet in the air before plummeting to the ground at around 70 miles per hour. Teen Dies In Fall From New Tower Ride At Orlando Amusement Park. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 169.204.214.73 However, Mina confirmed an investigation is still open to determine the cause of the mishap but reiterated that it "appears to be a tragic situation.". One woman was worried about the fact there was nothing more to keep them in the seats as the ride descended and asked if there was a seatbelt to clip them in. The grieving father said that Tyre began to panic and shared a chilling premonition with his two best friends, seated next to him on the ride. Seat belt? On Friday, the day after 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death, crews were inspecting the. 911: Okay, let me know when they're right there with you and I'll tell you what exactly to do next. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "This young man was the kind of son everyone hopes for - an honor roll student, an aspiring athlete, and a kind-hearted person who cared about others," Crump said in a statement Saturday. JIM: WESH 2 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER GREG FOX IS HERE WITH US. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1355263d2f08fb A fun theme park visit with his football team should not have ended in tragedy, Crump said. According to a report from the state agency, the ride had its initial permit inspection on December 20, 2021, and no problems were found. So, she wants answers to all those and she wants answers and legislation to make sure this cant happen again.. The teenager was visiting Central Floridaon a football program trip with his friend's family. Woman: Yeah, he was already up on the ride already. Hes hard to lift, the man replied. Tyre Sampson's family and friends are devastated by his untimely death and the last words, the teenager uttered. Authorities have determined that someone adjusted Sampsons harness before the Orlando Slingshot ride began to allow him to fit into the seat. Hes about 300 pounds. "It appears to be a terrible tragedy. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. "That's something the Department of Agriculture will certainly look at and obviously we'll look at that as we make a determination if this was accidental or not," Mina added. 'Everything seemed to be okay and normal,' Mina said. This gotta be a dream.". The autopsy . FL Man AKA Sedition Panda Charged In Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Breach: DOJ, Winter Springs Manager Retires + DeSantis Attacks Orlando Leaders, More Than Just Theme Parks, Orlando Offers History, Nature And Art. Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old Missouri boy who fell from the FreeFall ride at ICON Park in Orlando in March, reportedly died from blunt force trauma, according to his autopsy report. 'That's when he started freaking out. 'They're saying he's breathing, but he's not responsive. The ride, which opened last December, is billed as the worlds tallest freestanding drop tower, standing at 430 feet and can accommodate 30 riders at full capacity. Welcome back Kyrie! This was the second accident at the park in two years. 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