The family of Tyre Sampson, the teen who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida in 2022, has been awarded $310 million.
This week, the jury delivered the verdict in connection with the fatal FreeFall ride incident, which took place at ICON Park in March 2022. Sampson, just 14 years old, was initially reported to have fallen roughly 70 feet to his death, with subsequent reports revealing that the ride itself had been determined by investigators as “unsafe” when the incident occurred.
In a statement ahead of the brief civil trial against Funtime, the company that manufactured the ride, attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson said the case represented “a crucial point” in the family’s “pursuit of justice.” Following the civil verdict on Thursday, Crump and Jackson issued a follow-up statement.
“This verdict is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” the two said in an email. “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. The ride’s manufacturers neglected their duty to protect passengers, and today’s outcome ensures they face the consequences of those decisions.”
Crump and Jackson continued, “We hope this case serves as a wake-up call for the entire industry to implement stricter safety measures and oversight to prevent such tragedies from happening again. Tyre’s legacy will be a safer future for riders everywhere.”
Yarnell Sampson, Tyre’s father, addressed the verdict when speaking with reporters, calling it “a Band-Aid” but not a solution to a larger problem.
“Every day, I got to wake up and I still don’t see him,” he said.
