RYE, N.Y. – An amusement park ride where a 7-year-old girl was killed last month will have seat belts, more lighting and a second attendant when it reopens, officials announced Thursday.
Westchester County officials said they planned changes to the Mind Scrambler ride at Playland Park on Long Island Sound even though the park was not cited for any violations or required to make improvements to the ride.
Investigators concluded that Stephanie Dieudonne died May 22 when she apparently wriggled free of the restraining bar on one of the Mind Scrambler’s cars, knelt on the seat and fell soon after the ride started up.
The Mind Scrambler spins riders around in a darkened tent to flashing lights and loud music. Investigators said the girl had been on the ride several times before.
No operator error was found, and the ride’s permits were up-to-date. The girl met the ride’s requirements for being at least 6 years old and 4 feet tall.
Planned changes include adding seat belts to each car, creating space for an additional employee with an emergency stop button and printing safety instructions in glow-in-the-dark paint so they will be more visible.
A safety specialist will be hired to review all rides at the park, the nation’s only government-owned and -operated amusement park, Playland Director Joseph Montalto said. The county is also developing a safety guide to remind customers how to monitor their children.
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