The mother of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson has announced that a legal settlement has been reached between herself, ICON Park, and the owner of the Orlando FreeFall ride. Sampson died on March 24, 2022, after falling off the ride at ICON Park. The ride has been closed since the incident occurred, and crews are working to dismantle it.
Nekia Dodd, Sampson’s mother, made the announcement of the settlement in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, as reported by FOX 35. She expressed her devastation and heartbreak, and stated that she doesn’t want any remnants of the ride left.
According to Nikki Fried, former Florida commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, maladjustments made to the seat’s proximity sensor triggered the safety light, incorrectly allowing Sampson to ride even though he was not properly secured in the seat. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services report stated that the harness of the seat Sampson was in had a proximity sensor that was manually adjusted to allow a restraint opening of near 7 inches, instead of the normal range of around 3 inches.
Dodd pleaded for rides that go over 100 feet in the air to include a seatbelt and harness, as the Orlando FreeFall stands at 400 feet tall. An attorney for Orlando Slingshot, Trevor Arnold, expressed his satisfaction that a settlement had been reached and also supported Sen. Thompson’s efforts to make the “Tyre Sampson bill” state law.
ICON Park has released a statement, expressing agreement with the decision to dismantle the ride and extending their sympathy to Sampson’s family.
