A 16-year-old
girl was flung to her death from a fairground ride after complaining to
staff that her seatbelt would not buckle up, it has been claimed. The
girl, named locally as Samantha Aguilar, was catapulted from the ride in
El Paso, Texas, during Dia de Los Niños - a traditional Mexican holiday
that celebrates children.
Aguilar was riding an attraction known
as "The Sizzler" with two other friends – only one of them managed to
stay seated. A 15-year-old friend was also allegedly thrown from the
ride and is understood to have suffered only minor injuries and is
expected to make a full recovery at a local hospital.
An unnamed aunt of a third girl claimed
Aguilar was "clinging on to her belt for dear life" and despite raising
concerns with the ride operator they were allegedly told they "would be
fine without" a working seatbelt. She added that she believed the
attraction was built for two riders.
Sgt. Enrique Carillo from the El Paso Police
Department said an investigation would take place into the incident,
which happened on Friday 29 April. "We don't know the cause", he told
the Corpus Christi Caller Times.
Aguilar was a student athlete at Hanks High
School and her coach Kim Gomez said: "Online tributes from fellow
students called for school members to wear the colour red to Hanks today
in Aguilar's memory.
Bishop Mark J. Seitz, of the El Paso Catholic
Diocese, said he is saddened by the tragedy. "Parish communities gather
at times outside of church services, religious formation classes and
other activities simply to enjoy one another and their families," Seitz
said.
"When such a joyful event turns tragic the pain of the loss is
even greater. The Diocese of El Paso deeply regrets this terrible loss.
Words are incapable of expressing our sorrow at the death of this young
girl.
"We know that no words will alleviate her
family's pain but we will ask our merciful God to do through prayer what
words are incapable of doing: bringing consolation in the midst of this
sorrow."
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