Florida Jury Awards $310 to Family of Teenager Killed By Orlando Amusement Park's "Slingshot" Ride

“The lawsuit highlighted glaring safety oversights, including the absence of seat belts—a safety enhancement that would have cost just $22 per seat or $660 in total for all seats,” said Hilliard Law, one of the firms that represented Sampson’s parents in the claim.

A Florida jury has awarded $310 million in compensation to the parents of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old who died after being ejected from a ride at an Orlando-area amusement park in 2022.

According to The Associated Press, late last Thursday, an Orange County jury ordered that defendant and ride manufacturer Funtime pay $310 million to Tyre’s parents. If the award is upheld and paid, it will be split equally between Tyre’s mother and father.

Icon Park, which had rented space for the “Orlando Slingshot” ride involved in Tyre’s death, had already settled with Sampson’s family for an undisclosed amount.

The Guardian notes that Sampson, a 14-year-old from Missouri, died while visiting Icon Park during a spring break trip with his high school football team. After boarding the Orlando Slingshot, Sampson slipped from his seat and was ejected from the 400-foot-tall ride, falling about 100 feet to his death.

Sampson, who weighed close to 400 pounds, exceeded the ride’s 285-pound weight limit. He suffered fatal internal injuries as a direct result of the accident.

The ride, lawyers said, had few safety precautions.

Although passengers were instructed to use harnesses to secure themselves for the duration of the ride, the Orlando Slingshot did not come equipped with any seatbelts. Sampson himself appears to have slipped from the ride because the safety brace or harness did not fit around him and was never properly secured.

“The lawsuit highlighted glaring safety oversights, including the absence of seat belts—a safety enhancement that would have cost just $22 per seat or $660 in total for all seats,” said Hilliard Law, one of the firms that represented Sampson’s parents in the claim.

“The jury’s decision confirms what we have long argued: Tyre’s death was the result of blatant negligence and a failure to prioritize safety over profits,” attorneys Benjamin Crump and Natalie Jackson said in a statement. Both Crump and Jackson also represented the Sampson estate and family in proceedings. “The ride’s manufacturers neglected their duty to protect passengers, and [Thursday’s] outcome ensures they face the consequences.”

The Orlando Slingshot has since been disassembled. And, in May 2024, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis greenlighted the “Tyre Sampson Act,” which bolstered safety requirements for different types of amusement park attractions.

“We hope this case serves as a wake-up call for the entire industry to implement stricter measures and oversight to prevent such tragedies from happening again,” the family’s lawyers said in a statement. “Tyre’s legacy will be a safer future for riders everywhere.”

However, despite the jury’s award, Tyre’s family will likely have to overcome further obstacles before obtaining damages. Since Funtime is based in Austria, Sampson’s parents, Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson, must ask an Austrian court to enforce the order.

Sources

Family of Missouri teen who fell to death on FreeFall ride in Florida awarded $310 million

Jury awards $310m to family of US teen who fell to death at amusement park

Jury awards $310 million to parents of teen killed in fall from Orlando amusement park ride