ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The father of a Missouri teenager killed after falling from a Florida amusement park ride said Monday he fears his son's death will be forgotten with tragic consequences for future ride patrons.
Yarnell Sampson said that unless there are safety changes on such tower drop rides, "somebody else is going to die."
His son, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson died in March on the Free Fall ride in Orlando.
State Rep. Geraldine Thompson said she is drafting a bill that would take a company's safety history into account more closely when applying for permits to open such rides.
Last week, the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office released an autopsy report that stated the 14-year-old died of blunt force trauma.
The medical examiner's office also ruled his death an accident.
Authorities said the teenager died in March after he fell from the ride.
According to the agency's report, Tyre Sampson slipped out of his seat about halfway down the ride.
In the report, the medical examiner listed the teen's weight at 383 pounds, but the ride's weight limit was around 285 pounds.
In April, a firm hired by the state released an initial report that stated there were adjustments made to double the size of the teen's seat, which led to Tyre Sampson not being appropriately secured.
The teen's parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
