Family of 14-year-old killed in fall from Florida ride awarded $310m by jury

A Florida jury has awarded $310m to the family of a 14-year-old who fell hundreds of feet to his death from an amusement park ride over two years ago.

The sum was awarded to the parents of Tyre Sampson for pain and suffering as a result of his death in 2022, in addition to medical and funeral expenses. The case entered default judgment after Austrian-based manufacturer Funtime Handels failed to show up to the civil trial in Orange County on Thursday.

The company chose not to settle the matter last year. As a result, the judge found them responsible for the teen’s death.

Sampson went to ICON Park in Orlando during spring break with his friends on March 24, 2022, when he was visiting Florida from St Louis, Missouri.

During that visit, he decided to ride the FreeFall drop tower. While on the attraction, he slipped out of the harness halfway down the 400-foot drop and plummeted to the ground below in front of horrified parkgoers.

He sustained severe injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

A lawsuit filed by the family claims the ride did not have seatbelts and adding them would’ve cost the manufacturer $22 per seat. It has also been reported that the teen, who was 6’5 and 380 pounds, had been turned away from two other park rides due to his size. He reportedly weighed more than 100 pounds over the limit for the FreeFall ride.

His family said there were no posted weight limits or scales at the ride site. Additionally, Sampson’s seat had been “manually loosened, adjusted and tightened,” creating a larger than normal gap between his harness and his seat, an independent firm determined. The ride attendant had been on the job for three days and was considered a “trainee”.

A state report found “the cause of the accident was that Tyre Sampson was not properly secured in the seat.” His autopsy determined he died of blunt force trauma.

The ride was dismantled a year after his death. Sampson’s mother, Nekia Dodd, was there to see it taken down. The ride had previously been described as the world’s tallest freestanding drop tower.

“Unfortunately, when he passed, I wasn’t there for him. So, I had to do this,” Ms Dodd said at the time. “I didn’t want to come under these circumstances, but I had to do this.” Thursday’s verdict awarded $155m each to Sampson’s mother and father, Yarnell Sampson.

Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, representing the families, called the verdict a “step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products.”

“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,” he said. “The ride’s manufacturers neglected their duty to protect passengers, and today’s outcome ensures they face the consequences of those decisions.”

He wants the case to serve as a “wake-up call” for the theme park industry and is calling for stricter safety measures and oversight to prevent similar tragedies.

“Tyre’s legacy will be a safer future for riders everywhere.”

Sampson’s death led to a new Florida law called the Tyre Sampson Act. The law requires rides over 100 feet tall to have seatbelts and harnesses and be inspected by independent regulatory agencies. Operators must report accidents promptly and the state can impound unsafe rides. Modifications to sensors or restraints must be documented and justified.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed the legislation in May 2023.