ORLANDO, Fla. — Investigators said Tyre Sampson’s restraint was modified to allow larger visitors to go on the Orlando FreeFall at ICON Park.
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The family attorney said someone needs to be held accountable.
He said it was a dangerous ride that was made even worse by the seat adjustments.
“The report confirms the manual adjustments have been made to the sensor with a seat in question that allowed the harness-to-restraint opening to be almost double that of the normal restraint opening range,” Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said.
State investigators said changes made to two seats on the ride led to 14-year-old Sampson’s death.
READ: Report: Orlando FreeFall’s operator made manual adjustments to ride that made it unsafe
“The next phase of how and why it occurred, and we will look towards potential penalties,” Fried said.
The report reveals that the seats were manually adjusted after the inspection, so the sensor showed the harness was safely locked with a 7-inch gap at the bottom, instead of the normal 3-inches.
READ: Boy, 14, dies after falling from FreeFall ride at ICON Park in Orlando
“It shocks me the companies can be this irresponsible,” said attorney Michael Haggard.
Haggard is the attorney for Sampson’s mother. He said he believes criminal charges should be on the table.
Haggard said everyone except for the teenagers working that night should be liable.
READ: Investigation into 14-year-old’s death on free-fall ride continues
“This was an accident waiting to happen,” Haggard said.
ICON Park sent Eyewitness News a statement, saying the state’s findings are deeply troubling.
An attorney for the SlingShot Group said in response that “all protocols, procedures and safety measures provided by the manufacturer of the ride were followed.”
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