Woman Claims Daughter, 6, Injured When Bungee Strap Separated On Pacific Park Ride
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A local mother is raising concerns about safety protocols at Santa Monica's Pacific Park after she says her daughter was injured when a bungee cord snapped while she was on a ride.
Candace Greene tells KCAL9's Serene Branson that her mother took her 6-year-old daughter to the Santa Monica Pier park Monday for an afternoon of fun.
But the day ended in a trip to the emergency room after a strap attached to the girl's harness on the Beach Bounce trampoline ride came apart, sending her dropping to the mat below.
Greene says her daughter was cut and bruised from the impact.
"I'm quite upset about it. My mom heard, 'Ow,' and looked over and saw that she was down. The way it broke, it caused it to be almost like landing on concrete," Greene said.
Harbor Patrol paramedics examined at the girl on site.
Greene says when she arrived, responders suggested she take her daughter to the emergency room as a precaution.
Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said her daughter suffered a bruise.
And Greene says she's upset after learning at least one operator at the park raised concern about the quality of the cords.
"The lady that was running the ride told my mom that she knew that the bands weren't in great shape and she'd been keeping an eye on them. Well, great. They weren't in great shape, but they broke when my kid was on the ride," Greene said.
On Tuesday night, the ride was up and running again.
A spokesman for Pacific Park on the Pier said four straps are used to keep guests secure and that a loose strap did briefly make contact with the girl's leg.
"Guest and employee safety is Pacific Park's No. 1 priority," Pacific Park spokesman Cameron Andrews said. "The Beach Bounce is inspected daily prior to opening by Pacific Park's maintenance and operations departments. In addition, the attraction is also certified three times annually by a state inspector."
Greene says it's not just about the physical effects, however.
"She's just completely afraid. She doesn't want to go. She doesn't want to go on rides. She doesn't want to be around amusement parks right now," she said of her daughter.
Greene says she hopes sharing her story will push park officials to take closer looks at their rides.
