Community mourns 10-year-old girl killed in amusement ride accident

The Cumberland County community is mourning a 10-year-old girl who was killed in an amusement ride accident at a local fair.

News 12 Staff

Oct 14, 2019, 8:44 PM

Updated 1,648 days ago

Share:

The Cumberland County community is mourning a 10-year-old girl who was killed in an amusement ride accident at a local fair.
A memorial has been set up outside the Dollar General just down the street from the Deerfield Township Harvest Festival. Balloons and flowers have been left for the girl, identified by authorities as Hailey McMullen.
“It’s kind of a little place where they can come to just have an outlet, to put a balloon up and show their love for Hailey,” says Dollar General assistant manager Kyrstal Defeo.
The incident happened Saturday night at the fair. Skelly’s Amusement, the company that owns and operates the rides, says that the girl was ejected from the X-Treme ride, which they describe as a spinning ride where people are seated with a lap bar across their legs.
The girl was flown to Cooper Hospital in Camden but died from her injuries.
The incident is now under investigation.
"We're just looking for some kind of understanding of what went wrong,” says Skelly’s Amusement concession manager Rick Marchione. “We don't really know at this point. The Department of Community Affairs for New Jersey has been out here, inspectors have been out here, to investigate."
The Department of Community Affairs oversees the inspection of amusement rides before they can open. Skelly's Amusement says that the department was there at the beginning of the fair and cleared the ride to open. The rides are checked daily by staff.
"The ride was inspected that morning by us, by our documentation and our inspection sheets, so they are all done daily,” says Marchione.
Marchione says that everyone sends their condolences to the family of the victim.
“We can only feel because we are parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents. We just were eaten up inside and we can only imagine what they're going through at this point,” he says.
Marchione says that this was their last fair of the season. The ride will be packed up and taken back to their facility. They're waiting for feedback from the state and manufacturer to see if the ride can stay in operation.


More from News 12
1:30
Police: Car drives into Plainview dance studio; 3 suffer minor injuries

Police: Car drives into Plainview dance studio; 3 suffer minor injuries

2:03
Brightening skies and warmer temperatures heading into the weekend

Brightening skies and warmer temperatures heading into the weekend

1:50
Concern growing over homeless shelter near West Babylon day care

Concern growing over homeless shelter near West Babylon day care

2:00
John Theissen Children's Foundation opens Family Fun Center in Wantagh

John Theissen Children's Foundation opens Family Fun Center in Wantagh

0:13
Officials: West Babylon home destroyed by fire

Officials: West Babylon home destroyed by fire

0:47
Cafe 217 provides students with autism chance for work experience at East Rockaway HS

Cafe 217 provides students with autism chance for work experience at East Rockaway HS

0:42
Community raises $12,000 for workers of Merrick bar closed due to fire

Community raises $12,000 for workers of Merrick bar closed due to fire

0:23
Police: Hempstead man stole parking meters near Jericho Turnpike and Roslyn Road

Police: Hempstead man stole parking meters near Jericho Turnpike and Roslyn Road

1:55
8-year-old from Valley Stream becomes first in NY to undergo gene therapy for rare disease

8-year-old from Valley Stream becomes first in NY to undergo gene therapy for rare disease

2:27
2016 whistleblower tip warned of barrels buried at old Grumman property in Bethpage

2016 whistleblower tip warned of barrels buried at old Grumman property in Bethpage

0:25
Long Islander wins $1,000 a day for life from lotto ticket

Long Islander wins $1,000 a day for life from lotto ticket

1:34
Police: Drunk driver hits patrol car at scene of DWI crash; Suffolk officer hurt

Police: Drunk driver hits patrol car at scene of DWI crash; Suffolk officer hurt

0:44
NuHealth holds breast cancer screenings at Plainview-Old Bethpage Library

NuHealth holds breast cancer screenings at Plainview-Old Bethpage Library

1:09
The East End: Hamptons Handpoured

The East End: Hamptons Handpoured

1:52
Find fun, interactive activities for family and friends at Main Street Board Game Café in Huntington

Find fun, interactive activities for family and friends at Main Street Board Game Café in Huntington

0:37
North Babylon HS gives away dresses, suits ahead of prom season

North Babylon HS gives away dresses, suits ahead of prom season

0:22
Central Islip man sentenced to 22 years in prison for raping daughter

Central Islip man sentenced to 22 years in prison for raping daughter

1:45
Long Island pizzerias come together to raise funds for family of slain detective

Long Island pizzerias come together to raise funds for family of slain detective

0:30
Hempstead man pleads guilty, gets 8 years for drug trafficking

Hempstead man pleads guilty, gets 8 years for drug trafficking

0:19
Nassau Legislature approves 2 new outdoor fields for Mitchel Athletic Complex

Nassau Legislature approves 2 new outdoor fields for Mitchel Athletic Complex