A 13-year-old boy has died after falling from a moving carnival ride at a pop-up fair in Montana, according to local reports.
The boy, who has not yet been publicly identified by police, died Sunday evening, June 21, at a hospital in Kalispell, Montana. He had been receiving treatment there since the June 7 incident.
Sheriff Ed Lester said the teen “died as a result of the injuries he sustained,” according to NBC Montana. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing.
The terrifying accident happened in the parking lot of the Butte Civic Center during its annual carnival pop-up, which ran from June 4 through June 7.
Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement previously said officers responded to a reported injury at the carnival on Sunday, June 7. When they arrived, they found that the boy had fallen from a moving ride and suffered serious injuries.
Butte Civic Center director Bill Melvin told local outlets the teen had been riding the carnival’s Yoyo attraction when the incident occurred.
The Yoyo is a swing-style carnival ride that lifts riders into the air as their seats move in a circular motion.
After the boy was injured, the ride was immediately shut down and cordoned off while authorities investigated. Police also suspended all carnival rides at the event as a precaution.
The rides were operated by Midway West Amusements, a traveling carnival company based in Arizona. Melvin said the Civic Center had used the company for the past two years and had not had previous problems.
According to KBZK, the Yoyo ride remained in Butte after the incident, while the rest of the carnival rides moved on to the company’s next stop.
The sheriff previously said the law enforcement investigation was “basically” finished, but that a certified inspector still needed to examine the ride.
The accident has also raised renewed questions about carnival ride oversight in Montana. According to KXLF, Montana is one of the few states without statewide oversight of carnival rides. Lawmakers did pass legislation last year requiring certifications for rides inspected by qualified professionals.
The last major carnival ride incident in the state was reported in 2018, when an 11-year-old girl was injured after falling from a Typhoon ride at the Western Montana Fair in Missoula.
In a statement shared through KXLF on June 9, the teen’s family asked for privacy and prayers as he fought for his life.
“Thank you to all of you whom have reached out to us with genuine concern and positive thoughts, as we are leaning on those with every ounce of being,” the family said. “Your continued prayers and well wishes are the most important need at this time.”
Now, the community is mourning after what began as a summer carnival outing ended in tragedy.
Authorities have not released additional details about exactly how the boy fell from the ride.
