Child falls from Wildwood Ferris Wheel

4:20 p.m. The Associated Press corrects the child’s age. She is 11.

3:45 p.m. The Associated Press reports the girl, 17, has died. The news brief indicates Capt. Lynn Frane of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the teen’s death this afternoon.

Update: The Press of Atlantic City reports the middle school-aged girl fell from the top half of the ride while it was in motion, but how she fell is unclear. The rest of her classmates have been accounted for, but details on her school have not been released.

Original report: A chlid fell from Wildwood’s Ferris Wheel earlier this afternoon, and reporters are rushing to determine the cause of the fall and the condition of the girl.

 

Conflicitng reports from the Inquirer and NBC10 say the girl’s condition is uknown, and that she has died as a result of the fall.

Morey’s Piers, which operates the Mariner’s Landing pier where the ride operates, released the following statement:

“At approximately 12:30 PM on June 3rd, an incident occurred on Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier located at Schellenger Ave. and the Boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ. The incident occurred on the Ferris Wheel and involved a young female. She has been transported to the hospital by helicopter and her condition is unknown at the present time. The exact cause of the incident has not been determined, but at this time does not appear to be mechanical in nature. The incident is being investigated. The Morey staff and family offer our thoughts and prayers to the family.”

We’ll bring you more details as they come in.