Tyre Sampson.Photo: Gail & Wynn’s Mortuary, Inc.
The family of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old whodied after falling from an Orlando, Fla. amusement park ridein 2022, has been awarded $310 million.
Sampson, of St. Louis County, Mo., was visiting ICON Park with his family on March 24, 2022, when he fell from the FreeFall drop tower attraction. He was rushed to a local hospital where hedied of his injuries.
Sampson’s parents will receive $155 million each, a spokesperson for Michael Haggard, one of the family’s lawyers, said, per KSDK.
Family attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson also announced the award viaX(formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Dec. 5.
“This verdict is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” the attorneys said in a statement. “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.”
In the statement, they added that the ride’s manufacturers “neglected their duty to protect passengers,” and the award guarantees they will “face the consequences of those decisions.”
Crump and Jackson said they “hope” the outcome “serves as a wake-up call for the entire industry” to enforce “stricter safety measures.”
“Tyre’s legacy will be a safer future for riders everywhere,” the statement concluded.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Sampson died of “multiple injuries and trauma.”
The amusement park said in a statement at the time that it would continue to “fully cooperate” with authorities.
PEOPLE reached out to ICON Park for comment on Thursday, Dec. 5, but did not immediately hear back.
source: people.com
