If Tyre Sampson had been a “European Kid,” his death would have been taken more seriously, according to his father.
The father of Tyre Sampson criticises investigators and amusement park owners for attempting to conceal his son’s death.
Yarnell Sampson and civil rights attorney Ben Crump held a press conference on Monday in front of the Free Fall attraction at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida. He accused all parties of neglecting Tyre’s dangerous fall because he is a young Black man. Yarnell believes that things would have been different if his son had been of European descent.
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In March, the 14-year-old was shown on film falling to his death after boarding the Free Fall attraction. According to a report, the young man weighed more than 300 pounds, nevertheless he was authorised to ride despite the 287-pound weight limit. The family’s lawsuit claims that operators should not have permitted Tyre on the ride.
When Yarnell visited the location of his son’s death on Father’s Day, he was shocked to see that his son’s memorial had been removed. According to both him and Crump, the park informed them that there would be a permanent memorial at the site. Orlando Slin-gshot, a subsidiary of the ride’s operator organisation, acknowledged that cleaning personnel removed the tribute and sent the items to the family some weeks ago. There provided no information on a permanent tribute to Tyre Sampson.
Yarnell stated, “I simply believed that everyone had abandoned him, that no one cared about him anymore, and that there was no longer any love.”
At front of the ride, protesters could be heard shouting “Take it down” prior to Yarnell and Crump’s press conference.