A 10-year-old girl died after she was thrown from a ride on Oct. 12 at the Deerfield Township Harvest Festival.
The girl was ejected from a ride called “Extreme” at 6:18 p.m. and suffered serious injuries, police said on Facebook.
“The New Jersey State Police (NJSP) is investigating the death of a 10-year-old girl who sustained fatal injuries after she was ejected from an amusement ride,” NJSP wrote in a statement.
She was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m. The girl has not been identified and the cause and circumstances of her death are still under investigation, police said.
Police said the “Extreme” is a Wisdom Super Sizzler amusement ride that spins passengers in a horizontal circle.
Skelly’s Amusements, the company that operates rides at the festival, said it was fully cooperating in the investigation, in a statement posted on Facebook.
“We are absolutely heartbroken. Words cannot express our feelings and we extend our deepest sympathies to the individual’s family and loved ones. We ask that you keep them in your thoughts,” the statement said.
“I have a seven-year-old and just seeing the little girl it’s so heartbreaking,” said Jessica Estrada Plasencia, a witness, reported ABC30. “You would think your kids would be safe…I know you ride at your own risk, but they are there to make sure your kids are secure, to make sure kids aren’t going to fall off a ride.”
Festival organizers canceled a parade that was scheduled for Sunday, but said other activities will go on as scheduled, according to its website.
“The festival will be open today to offer a place for the community to come together in wake of this tragedy,” the statement said.
It said that rides and festival games will be closed until they are inspected by state officials.
Deerfield Township is located in southern New Jersey and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
