Coroner rules that boy’s 2017 carnival ride death was preventable

The death of a six year old boy at the 2017 Rye Easter Carnival was preventable according to the Victorian Coroner.

Passing her judgement on Friday morning, Coroner Sarah Gebert said the death of Eugene Mahauariki on his favourite ride at the Easter carnival six years ago was preventable.

Advising that restraints on the ride did not meet Australian standards, Coroner Gebert also recommended sweeping changes to amusement ride regulations.

The six-year-old boy died in hospital four days after falling from his seat on the Cha Cha at Rye Easter Carnival in Victoria on 17th April 2017.

He lined up about 5.20pm when the last ride was called, on the final day of the carnival, with a younger and smaller friend.

He was placed on the outside seat, which was meant for adults and bigger children, and slid into his friend as the ride started. He then fell and struck his head before landing on the ground.

His parents, who worked for the ride’s operator, Wittingslow Amusements, rushed to help before he was taken to hospital.

He died when his life support was turned off four days after the fall.

Outside court, Eugene’s mother, Tammy White, cried as she remembered her “cheeky and outgoing” youngest son.

She added “I fought for an inquest because I knew that Eugene’s death was preventable, and today the Coroner agreed with me.

“The Coroner has recommended change for the entire amusement industry … I hope they all take it on, so this doesn’t happen to another family.”

Wittingslow Amusements was initially charged by WorkSafe Victoria with health and safety breaches, but the charges were withdrawn in 2020.

In her ruling, Coroner Gebert stated “it’s clear that Eugene’s death was preventable.”

Finding that the restraints that were supposed to hold Eugene in place in his seat - a U-shaped rod and bar - were not compliant with Australian standards, Coroner Gebert noted “without doubt, members of the public would hold an expectation or reasonable assumption that there is a system in place to ensure the safety of amusement rides in Victoria.

“Yet this investigation revealed that the Cha Cha was able to operate without restraints which were compliant with Australian standards over many years.”

Further, she found the team member operating the ride on the day of the incident was not sufficiently trained or supervised, and that the ride’s owner, Michael Wittingslow, did not know if he was trained or not.

As the Cha Cha was built in 1961, Coroner Gebert said the ride was not checked as stringently as newer rides, adding “the older an amusement ride was, the least stringent the regulatory regime.”

The Coroner said she hoped her recommendations would help ensure another young life is not taken on a carnival ride.

Wittingslow Amusements owner Michael Wittingslow had refused to answer questions at the inquest.

Images: Eugene Mahauariki (top) and Wittingslow Amusement's Cha Cha ride (below).