Preliminary report finds no certain cause of Ferris Wheel fall

As far as anyone can tell, Abiah Jones likely was not properly seated on Wildwood’s Ferris Wheel when she fell to her death June 3. A preliminary report from the State of New Jersey was released yesterday, and found “nothing abnormal” with the way the ride operated.

The 11-year-old girl could be seen on security video from the pier falling to the boardwalk, but footage did not capture how she fell.

 

The state Department of Community Affairs will recommend a minimum of two riders per gondola based on a theory that Jones would not have unseated herself had she had company in the gondola. As the Press of Atlantic City reports, the Ferris Wheel requires riders younger than 10 and shorter than 54 inches to ride with another passenger. Jones met both requirements to ride alone.

The Ferris Wheel remains closed for now.