Tyre Sampson’s family filed a lawsuit against all entities associated with the Orlando Free Fall on Monday.
The lawsuit comes after the 14-year-old teen from Missouri fell hundreds of feet from the tower ride while on a trip with his football team. Sampson died of his injuries. A report commissioned by the Florida Department of Agriculture found that ride operators improperly adjusted the harness to allow riders who were larger than the suggested limit from the ride’s manufacturer.
“The subject ride did not experience a mechanical or electrical failure,” the report shared. “The cause of the subject accident was that Tyre Sampson was not properly secured in the seat primarily due to misadjustment of the harness proximity sensor. The misadjustment of the sensor allowed both safety lights to illuminate, improperly satisfying the ride’s electronic safety mechanisms and allowing the ride to commence even though the ride was unsafe.”
Sampson’s mother said in a social media post that the report revealed much more than a “tragic accident.” She said her son was the victim of a “murder.” The lawsuit filed on behalf of the family names ride manufacturer Fun Time Thrill Rides, ride owner-operator Slingshot Group and Icon Park, the landlord which leased space in their park to the attraction.
The ride had no seatbelts, a fact that was remarked upon by riders in a viral video that showed the entirety of the accident. That video was how Sampson’s father learned of his son’s death.
In the lawsuit, the family points out that lap belts to keep riders secure would have cost just $600 per seat. It also suggests that manipulation of the sensors should not have been possible and was a flaw in the ride’s overall design.
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