Seat on ride was still locked after it stopped, report says, despite teen's fatal plunge

The 14-year-old who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida was locked into his harness before the fall, an accident report states.

Last week, Tyre, from Missouri, had been enjoying a night of attractions at the ICON Park on International Drive and ultimately went on one of the park's newest rides: the Orlando Free-Fall.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the youngster fell from the ride at around 11:00 PM, with park guests having witnessed the tragic event unfold.

Now as per a new report obtained by CNN, Tyre Sampson was locked into his seat when the ride descended but the youngster still "came out" of the seat.

The report is from the operator with the fair rides division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It says the teen's "harness was still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped."

"The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is actively investigating the incident, along with the Orange County Sheriff's Office," said Commissioner Nikki Fried in a statement. "We hope the subsequent findings will be able to inform us all as to how this tragedy occurred and will precipitate any changes necessary to better protect patrons of amusement rides in Florida."

The report named three witnesses, with each of them listed as employees. It has also been called into question whether the teenager should have been allowed to get on the ride due to his weight.

Sampson's father, Yarnell Sampson, told CNN last Friday: "My son was 6'5", 340. So, he's a big guy."

According to the outlet, the ride's operations and maintenance manual states the maximum passenger weight is 130 kilograms (around 287 pounds).

"Be careful when seeing if large guests fit into the seats. Check that they fit within the contours of the seat and the bracket fits properly. If this is not so -- Do not let this person ride," the manual states.

The SlingShot Group, which operates the ride, said in a statement: "We are heartbroken by the loss of Tyre Sampson and absolutely devastated for his family and loved ones. We have suspended the operations of the FreeFall ride and the Slingshot ride at Icon Park.

"We are fully cooperating with the authorities at the state and local levels who are investigating this tragic incident. We plan on providing additional information in the coming days, as we learn more."

Featured image credit: Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg 9+ / Alamy