ORLANDO, Fla. — The mother of the 14-year-old boy who fell to his death from the Orlando FreeFall ride spoke about the tragedy where it happened last year.
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Tyre Sampson slipped from the ride last year. Wednesday marked the first time his mother, Nekia Dodd, saw the ride in person.
“Unfortunately when he passed I wasn’t here for him, so I had to do this,” Dodd said. “I didn’t want to come under these circumstances but I had to do this.”
Watch: ‘Tyre Sampson’ bills fix ride safety oversights but keeps records hidden longer
Dodd attorney announced they settled with ICON Park and the ride’s operator, SlingShot Group, but efforts to work with the Australian company that made the ride have not gone well.
“I do appreciate Central Florida (and the) Department of Agriculture for agreeing and allowing this ride to come down,” Dodd said. “It’s a tragedy, and it’s a horrendous ride, and it should have never been built.”
The family is also pushing for legislation to increase safety on rides in Florida, and impose stricter requirements.
In a prepared statement, ICON Park said:
“There is nothing more important to ICON Park than the safety of our guests and employees, and we’ve been supportive in assisting Senator Thompson with her proposed legislation. We agree with the goal to ensure extra diligence and oversight with mid- to small-attraction operators for ride training, testing and process documentation, which we also focus on in our own rigorous ride safety protocols. While the FreeFall ride is not owned and was not controlled or operated by ICON Park, because it is a tenant on the property, we agree with the owner’s decision to dismantle the ride and our hearts are with the family as they witness this important milestone.”
Read: Orlando FreeFall ride owner reaches settlement with state after Tyre Sampson’s death
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