Girl Killed On Ride Operated By Company That Does Bucks Co. Fairs

NEW JERSEY — A 10-year-old girl was killed in New Jersey after she was ejected from an amusement ride operated by Skelly's Amusements, which provides rides for Bucks County events, including the popular Middletown Grange Fair.

The girl, who was not identified, suffered fatal injuries after she was ejected from a ride at the Deerfield Township Harvest Festival on Saturday. The incident happened on a ride called “Extreme,” which is a Wisdom Super Sizzler amusement park ride, police said.

The girl suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m.

The cause and circumstances remain under investigation, police said.

Skelly's this year also provided rides for the Nativity of Our Lord Carnival in Warminster, the Lower Southampton Athletic Association Carnival in Feasterville, and the June Fete Fair in Huntingdon Valley.

Skelly's drew fire for deciding not to immediately cancel its amusement operation while the investigation continues. The company ultimately relented and closed the rides on Sunday.

The company later issued this statement: "We will not be open today at the Harvest Festival. Even though we have been given permission to operate the other rides by the state, we don’t have it in our heart. We thank the sponsors of the Festival for their understanding..."

"We will be issuing refunds at the ticket booth," the company said. "The entertainment portion of the Harvest Festival will go on as scheduled."

The festival organizers also echoed the sentiment, and their Facebook post became a place for mourners to express their sympathy.

However, the initial statement from Skelly's, which was posted on Facebook, drew criticism from some on social media who thought the decision to continue operating was disrespectful or premature.

"You don’t think packing up and leaving today is appropriate? How about donating all of today’s proceeds to the family of your victim?" one person wrote.

Skelly's wrote that the company is "absolutely heartbroken. Words cannot express our feelings and we extend our deepest sympathies to the individual’s family and loved ones. We ask that you keep them in your thoughts."

"We are fully cooperating with the investigation being conducted by the State Police and the Carnival and Amusement Ride unit within the Department of Community Affairs," the statement said.