US jury orders payout for family of teen who died on theme park ride

A Florida jury has ordered an amusement ride manufacturer pay $310m (£243m) to the family of a teenage boy who fell to his death on their drop ride at an Orlando theme park in 2022.

Tyre Sampson weighed 43kg (94lbs) more than the ride’s 129kg limit, when he plunged 30m (98ft) from the ride, which had no seat belts.

His family’s lawyers argued his death was a result of safety failures and negligence by the ride operators and maker.

The Austrian manufacturer, Funtime Handels GMBH, did not send a representative to court and no lawyer was listed in the court records.

Tyre, 14, was visiting ICON theme park in Orlando with his American football team during spring break.

After falling from the ride, he was taken to a nearby children’s hospital where he died from his injuries.

In awarding damages this week, the jury said the amount was for the “pain and suffering as a result of Tyre Sampson’s injury and death”.

“Tyre’s death was the result of blatant negligence and a failure to prioritise safety over profits,” the family’s lawyer, Ben Crump said.

The damages have been split equally between Tyre’s mother and father, who launched the civil suit in March 2022, a month after their son’s death.

Last year, they settled for an undisclosed amount with two other defendants, the ride’s owner, Eagle Drop Slingshot, and ICON Park, where it operated.

At the time, Tyre’s uncle Carl Sampson described him as a “really good kid” and “very intelligent”.

His death has prompted safety reforms in Florida, which is home to several of the country’s most famous amusement parks.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Tyre Simpson Act into law in May 2023.

It strengthens the safety standards for theme park rides, including mandatory seat belts and harnesses for any ride taller than 100 feet (30m).

“This verdict is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” Mr Crump said on Thursday.