NEW JERSEY — State officials launched a probe as new details emerged Monday on the death of a 10-year-old girl who was killed after she was ejected from a New Jersey amusement ride, officials said.
Police identified the girl as Hailey McMullen of Deerfield Township, where the tragic incident took place.
The State Police and the state Department of Community Affairs have launched probes into the weekend tragedy that left a school district and hundreds of fairgoers in shock.
State officials are investigating how the girl was thrown from a ride called the “Xtreme,” a Wisdom Super Sizzler ride whose cars spin in the opposite direction as the ride rotates. The ride protects the passengers with a lap bar.
The ride had been permitted and inspected by the Department of Community Affairs, according to nj.com. But Ken Martin, an amusement park safety analyst and consultant, told CBS3 that the ride is not safe.
“This ride is old. You never know what may happen. I know this ride has thrown people out before. I know that it goes too fast and I know that there were problems with the lap bars,” he told the station.
The ride’s operator, Skelly’s Amusements of Williamstown, drew fire for deciding not to immediately cancel its amusement operation while the investigation continues. The company ultimately relented and closed the rides Sunday.
At least two popular fairs in New Jersey — in Manasquan and the Middlesex County Fair — have used Skelly’s as their operator in the past. Read more: Girl Killed On Ride Operated By Company That Does Manasquan Fairs
The 10-year-old girl suffered fatal injuries after she was thrown from the amusement ride at the Deerfield Township Harvest Festival on Saturday, police said.
The incident happened at 6:18 p.m. and the girl was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m., police said.
The cause and circumstances remain under investigation, police said.
According to nj.com, friends and parents posted Facebook tributes to the girl, whom they named as a fifth-grade Deerfield Elementary School student.
The school was offering grief counseling Monday, Alex Ortiz, a fairgoer whose 10-year-old daughter was friends with the victim, told nj.com. He told the publication the girls went to school together, were bus buddies and had sleepovers.
“You come thinking the kids will be safe, not a freak accident,” Ortiz told nj.com
Eyewitnesses said other children were crying and shocked when they saw what happened:
Skelly’s Amusements initially said it planned to continue to operate the remaining rides at the festival “based upon preliminary investigations conducted by the authorities having jurisdiction.”
The company later issued this statement: “We will not be open today at the Harvest Festival. Even though we have been given permission to operate the other rides by the state, we don’t have it in our heart. We thank the sponsors of the Festival for their understanding…”
“We will be issuing refunds at the ticket booth,” the company said. “The entertainment portion of the Harvest Festival will go on as scheduled.”
The festival organizers also echoed the sentiment, and their Facebook post became a place for mourners to express their sympathy.
But the initial statement from Skelly’s, which was posted on Facebook, drew criticism from some on social media who thought the decision to continue operating was disrespectful or premature.
“You don’t think packing up and leaving today is appropriate? How about donating all of today’s proceeds to the family of your victim?” one person wrote.
Skelly’s wrote the company is “absolutely heartbroken. Words cannot express our feelings and we extend our deepest sympathies to the individual’s family and loved ones. We ask that you keep them in your thoughts.”
“We are fully cooperating with the investigation being conducted by the State Police and the Carnival and Amusement Ride unit within the Department of Community Affairs,” the statement said.
Here are other tributes and expressions of sorrow for the girl:
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