ORLANDO, Fla. — The parents of a 14-year-old boy who fell to his death from a 430-foot drop-tower ride in central Florida’s tourist district have sued its owner, manufacturer and landlord, claiming they were negligent and failed to provide a safe amusement ride.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in state court in Orlando.
It claims the defendants failed to warn Tyre Sampson about the risks of someone his size going on the ride. He was 6-foot-2-inches and weighed 380 pounds.
"They can take the ride down completely. Just get rid of it altogether," Sampson's mother, Nekia Dodd, said at a news conference Tuesday. "That's too big of a risk. Not enough safety measurements. Take it down."
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The lawsuit against ICON Park, Fun Times, which manufactured the ride, and the SlingShot Group, which operated the ride, alleges product liability and negligence.
The suit said the defendants didn’t provide an appropriate restraint system on the ride. An initial report said ride sensors had been adjusted to double the size of restraint openings on two seats.
