(CNN) – Records obtained by CNN indicate the 14-year-old who died after falling off the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park in Orlando last week may have been too old to ride the carnival ride.
On Friday, Tire Sampson’s father, Yarnell, questioned whether his son met the size and weight requirements, telling CNN: “My son was 6’5, 340. So, he’s a big guy.”
The attraction’s Operations and Maintenance Manual, which has been posted online by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, lists the maximum passenger weight as 130 kg (approximately 287 pounds) and states: “Use caution when seeing if large passengers fit in the seats. Check that they fit within the contours of the seat and that the support fits correctly. If not, do not let this person ride.”
It’s unclear if Sampson didn’t conform to the contours of the seat or if the bracket didn’t fit properly.
CNN reached out to the ride operator and ICON Park to ask if there was a weight limit for the ride and if Sampson would fit properly on the bracket, but received no response.
“Words cannot express the pain I feel for the tragic loss of such a young person, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” Commissioner Nikki Fried said Monday. “The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is actively investigating the incident, along with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and it is our hope that subsequent findings can inform all of us about how this tragedy occurred and will precipitate any changes necessary to protect to patrons of attractions in Florida. Committed to transparency, the department will provide relevant records online and update those records to the extent possible.”
