By Nakiwala Barbra
A Florida jury has awarded $310 million to the family of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old boy who died after falling from a drop ride at Orlando’s ICON Park in March 2022.
Tyre, who exceeded the ride’s 129kg (285lbs) weight limit by 43kg (94lbs), plunged 30 meters (98 feet) after the ride, which lacked seat belts, malfunctioned. His family argued that the tragedy resulted from safety failures and negligence by the ride operators and the Austrian manufacturer, Funtime Handels GMBH. The company did not send a representative to court and had no legal counsel listed in the records.
Tyre, described by his uncle as a “really good kid” and “very intelligent,” was visiting the park with his football team during spring break. After the fall, he was rushed to a nearby children’s hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The awarded damages, intended to compensate for the family’s pain and suffering, will be shared equally between Tyre’s mother and father, who filed the lawsuit shortly after his death.
In addition to this settlement, they reached undisclosed agreements with two other defendants, the ride’s owner and ICON Park. Tyre’s death has since prompted safety reforms in Florida, including the Tyre Sampson Act, signed into law in May 2023, which mandates seat belts and harnesses for rides taller than 100 feet. The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, called the verdict “a step forward in holding corporations accountable for prioritizing profits over safety.”
