Parents of Teen Who Died in Fall From Ride Awarded $310M

14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death from ride in Orlando's ICON Park
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 25, 2022 6:09 PM CDT
Updated Dec 6, 2024 7:33 AM CST
Park, Ride Manufacturer Sued Over Fatal Fall
A photo of Tyre Sampson rests at a memorial site outside the Orlando Free Fall drop tower ride at ICON Park in Orlando.   (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
UPDATE Dec 6, 2024 7:33 AM CST

The parents of a 14-year-old Missouri boy who fell 100 feet to his death from a ride in Orlando's ICON Park in 2022 have been awarded $310 million by a jury. The verdict against Austrian ride manufacturer Funtime Handels GmbH came after just an hour of deliberations, NBC News reports. "The jury's decision confirms what we have long argued: Tyre's death was the result of blatant negligence and a failure to prioritize safety over profits," said family attorney Ben Crump. The parents of Tyre Sampson, who was visiting the park with his high school football team, reached a separate settlement last year for an undisclosed amount with the park and Eagle Drop Slingshot, the ride's owner.

Apr 25, 2022 6:09 PM CDT

The parents of Tyre Sampson, who was killed in a fall from a ride in Orlando, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against ICON Park, the ride's owner, its manufacturer, and others. The 14-year-old from St. Louis died last month after falling from the 430-foot Free Fall ride. The suit brought by Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson accuses the defendants, including the construction contractor that built the ride, of negligence, WESH reports. The suit says it seeks damages of more than $30,000, in compliance with state's wrongful death law.

"The defendants in Tyre's case showed negligence in a multitude of ways," said Ben Crump, a lawyer for the teenager's father. Most similar rides elsewhere have a harness and a seat belt, the suit says, while the Free Fall attraction has no seat belt. Adding one would cost $22 per seat, the filing says. An outside investigation found the harness on Tyre Sampson's seat had been improperly adjusted, making it unsafe. "Tyre had a long and prosperous life in front of him that was cut short by this tragic event," the suit says, per NBC News. Representatives for the defendants made no immediate comment. (More amusement parks stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X