10 Year Old Girl Dies at SFGAm

[nitroblast]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-badride17.html

10-year-old girl dies after exiting ride at Six Flags

August 17, 2006

BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter

A 10-year-old Arlington Heights girl died Wednesday night after getting off a ride at Six Flags Great America in north suburban Gurnee.

About 6:15 p.m., the girl had just gotten off a ride -- reportedly a rollercoaster -- and was running toward some family members when she collapsed, said Gurnee police Commander Jay Patrick.

An anesthesiologist happened to be in the area and tried to resuscitate the girl; first aid workers and fire department paramedics weren't far behind, but by then the girl was in ''full arrest,'' Patrick said.

She was taken to Condell Health Network in Libertyville where she was pronounced dead at 7:15 p.m., Patrick said.

Attempts to reach a spokesperson for the park were unsuccessful.

History of heart problems

The girl, who was at the amusement park with her 63-year-old grandmother and cousins, had a history of heart problems and it appears her death was tied to her medical condition, according to police and Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller.

Keller said an autopsy was scheduled for today, but the cause of the child's death "will likely be natural death."

The child's name was withheld pending notification of her other relatives.

Before she collapsed, witnesses said the girl had just exited a ride, "possibly" the Spacely Sprocket Rockets roller coaster, in the Camp Cartoon Network area in Yukon Territory, police said.

Spacely Sprocket Rockets is described by Six Flags as a 35 mph children's roller coaster in the "scare free zone" of Camp Cartoon Network.

4 deaths at park in 4 years

The girl's death was the first this year at Six Flags and the fourth over the past four years.

? A 68-year-old Chicago man died last summer after suffering a heart attack and collapsing in the wave pool at the park's new Hurricane Harbor water park.

? In 2004, a 52-year-old Zion man who worked at the park died of injuries suffered during an accident on the Ragin' Cajun ride.

? In 2003, an 11-year-old girl from Gary choked to death while riding the Raging Bull roller coaster. A substance was found in her trachea by paramedics. Six Flags officials maintained the death was not ride-related.

[rjholla2003]

It's just sad.  There's been too many deaths this year that have been as a result of not taking heed of posted warnings.

[sir clinksalot]

She had a pre-existing heart condition and the parents knew about it.

This could have happened at a Mall, Movie Theatre, etc. The ONLY reason it's in the news is because it happened at a park.

[Dubya91]

I guess they dont teach people to read anymore....

Its sad to see another person dead because they cant take the minute to read the sign....

[Bubba Z]

"Girl running to grandmother dies "

Or

"Girl dies from riding  a roller coaster"

Which sounds more interesting?

It says   "possibly"  they don't even know  which  ride, if any.

The sad part is, it takes a ride... be it a coasters or flat  to be the focus  of a  person's pre- related heart problem. 

I feel bad for the family involved and would hate that to happen to anyone , but the media here is to blame not the coaster.