A Florida jury awarded $310 million to the parents of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old boy who tragically died in 2022 while riding the Orlando Freefall at ICON Park. The verdict, delivered Thursday in an Orange County courtroom, found Austrian-based ride manufacturer Funtime Handels liable for the defective design of the Freefall ride.
A Tragic Incident
Tyre Sampson died in March 2022 after being ejected from his seat during the ride’s descent. A state investigation revealed that his seat had been manually adjusted to accommodate his size, resulting in a fatal restraint failure. The Freefall ride, which was later dismantled, had drawn scrutiny for its safety standards following the incident.
The Trial and Verdict
The jury ruled in favor of Sampson’s parents, Nekia Todd and Yarnell Sampson, after a one-day trial. Michael A. Haggard of The Haggard Law Firm PA, representing Tyre’s mother, stated that the family pursued justice against Funtime Handels even after the company’s attorneys withdrew from the case.
