Parents of girls who fell from Ferris wheel describe anguish

A week after a 6-year-old girl was critically injured in a Tennessee Ferris wheel accident, her family is speaking out. She had been hospitalized since the fall August 8.

Briley’s mother, Kimmee Reynolds, thanked supporters and said the family has a “long way to go”. The reports didn’t immediately elaborate on the girl’s condition or any further care she would receive after her release.

Fair officials and police officers talk to witnesses at the county fair in Greeneville, Tennessee after the Ferris wheel accident.

Authorities found worn out rivets to blame, causing a mechanical malfunction. The ride didn’t have seatbelts or lab restraints – and it isn’t required by law to have such safety features. Briley was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but was upgraded to stable condition on Tuesday. “Just really scared”, she said.

“I was going to try to break their fall or something”, Jason Reynolds said. “Safety should be a priority when you have people’s lives at risk”. You could tell that they were terrified. “Stop! Stop now!'” Kimmee Reynolds said. “That’s the scary part about it”. Her family is sharing pictures from her hospital bedside.

“We want her back the way she was, and it doesn’t work that way”, Kimmee Reynolds said, adding that she wants to see her “spunky” daughter full of “sass and attitude” return.

After the incident, the Greene County Fair organizers said in a statement: “We would like to extend our thoughts and prayers for those injured tonight at the fair”. “Why did we continue to use them?”