Autopsy Results Released Following 14-Year-Old's Fatal Fall at ICON Park - Inside the Magic

14-year-old Tyre Sampson tragically fell to his death on Orlando Freefall at Orlando’s ICON Park on March 24. According to a report released by law enforcement last month, the boy slipped out of his seat at the halfway mark of Orlando Freefall’s drop.

On Monday, the Orange County Medical Examiner released Sampson’s autopsy report. According to the report, Sampson weighed 383 pounds when he fell to his death. The ride has a maximum weight recommendation of 287 pounds, making Sampson 96 pounds over the limit at the time of his fatal fall.

The report notes that Sampson died of blunt-force trauma resulting from his fatal fall. He sustained blunt-force injuries to his head, neck, and torso as well as internal lacerations to his spleen, stomach and liver. The manner of death was ruled “accidental.”

An attorney representing Orlando Slingshot Group, the ride’s owners, spoke to The Huffington Post on Monday and said they “continue to communicate and cooperate with representatives of Tyre’s family, as well as the Department of Agriculture.”

This news comes after an earlier report from Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which stated that the ride’s operators had made adjustments to sensors on the ride, “resulting in it being unsafe.”

Orlando Freefall was shut down immediately after the accident. ICON Park shared this statement soon after the tragedy:

“As the landlord of the 20-acre entertainment destination in the center of the Orlando Entertainment District, ICON Park’s mission is to provide safe, family entertainment. We rely on our tenants to be experts at what they do. In the interests of public safety, ICON Park demands that the SlingShot Group suspend not only the operation of Orlando FreeFall but also the operation of Orlando SlingShot, effective immediately, continuing until such time as a thorough investigation by the appropriate authorities has been completed and all parties are satisfied that the rides are safe for the public.

We continue to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigations of the Orlando FreeFall.

We continue to grieve the passing of Tyre Sampson and our thoughts are with his family and friends. This was the saddest day in the history of ICON Park and we’re working hard to make sure this never happens again.”

Sampson’s family is suing ICON Park and Orlando Slingshot Group, alleging that there were no posted warnings about Orlando Freefall’s weight limit.

“[The owners of Orlando Freefall] have a weight restriction that is not disclosed to anyone. That is truly amazing because when you start talking about going 75 mph, from 430 feet to an almost sudden stop when you’re tilted, the biggest risk we can all think of gravity is weight. They did nothing to disclose that whatsoever,” family attorney Michael Haggard said. 

“There is a metal detector, so you do not bring your phone on, but there is no sign about weight, and there is no scale,” Haggard said of the International Drive theme Park. “I mean, how that is not more important than a metal detector for a ride like this is kind of amazing.”

Inside the Magic will report on any developments in Sampson’s family’s case against ICON Park and the Orlando Slingshot Group.