Family mourns ‘caring and cheerful’ 6-year-old killed by fall on Colorado mine ride
A 6-year-old girl who died Sunday night after falling off a ride at a Colorado amusement park was “beautiful, caring, and cheerful,” her family says.
Wongel Estifanos of Colorado Springs died of “multiple blunt force injuries” after falling from the 110-foot Haunted Mine Drop ride at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, KMGH reported.
She was visiting the park while on vacation with her family, McClatchy News reported.
Audio released of 911 dispatchers handling the emergency includes a call for counselors for the girl’s extended family of about 20, who were “very distraught,” KDVR reported.
“Wongel was a beautiful, caring, and cheerful girl who loves Jesus so much for a 6 year old girl,” says a GoFundMe established to help pay for funeral and other expenses.
“Her parents, families and all the community is devastated by this tragic and sudden loss,” the GoFundMe says.
“We share the family’s grief as they experience an unimaginable loss,” David Nancarrow, a spokesman for Stetson Elementary School, told KMGH.
The park, which had originally been set to reopen Wednesday after closing for two days following the accident, now will reopen Saturday, a notice on its site says.
“We are deeply saddened and ask that you please keep the family of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers,” the notice reads.
The Haunted Mine Drop, opened in 2017, plunges riders “110 feet inside the dark depths of Iron Mountain in what feels like a free-fall,” a now-removed description on the park’s site said.
The mountain-top park in Glenwood Springs opened in 1999 as a cave tour, then began adding rides to keep waiting visitors occupied, according to the site.
Colorado officials, who are investigating the accident, said the ride was most recently inspected by a third party three months ago, KMGH reported.
The ride was designed without shoulder restraints, using only lap belts and lap bars to make it more exciting, The Denver Post reported. No information on how Wongel fell from the ride has been released.
This story was originally published September 8, 2021 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Family mourns ‘caring and cheerful’ 6-year-old killed by fall on Colorado mine ride."