Tragic details emerge in rollercoaster incident
New details have emerged about the woman who was struck by a rollercoaster at Melbourne’s Royal Show as her family hits back at online bullies.
Shylah Rodden remains in a critical condition after walking onto a section of the Rebel Coaster ride and being struck by one of the carriages shortly before 6pm on Sunday, suffering severe facial injuries.
Since the tragic incident, it has been revealed that the Rodden family lost Shylah’s brother, Jason, less than two months ago.
In a social media post dated July 27, Shylah said her “world came crashing down”.
"Dad sat me down and told me that my brother had passed away," she wrote.
"He wasn't just my big brother, he was my best friend, my everything, the person I looked up to and inspired to be like.
"He taught me so much in life, he showed me the difference between right and wrong and he was never afraid to tell me how he really feels.
"It doesn't feel real, I keep thinking you'll call me back."
Speaking to the media on Monday, Shylah’s father Alan Rodden said he was still unsure as to what to believe about the incident.
"There are a lot of stories going around and I don't know which one is true and if someone is covering their tracks," he told the Daily Mail.
Mr Rodden said his 26-year-old daughter’s injuries were “horrific” and that she was fighting for her life.
"The injuries are horrific. Horrific. She's brain-damaged. It's pelvic, her arms, legs, back, neck - there's hardly a thing that's not broken," he said.
"I just can't work out how the hell so much damage has been done. Even the doctors have said they haven't seen anything as bad as this for a long time."
Shylah’s sister Caisha told the outlet she was appalled at the online abuse directed at her sister, who is reportedly in a coma.
“It’s sad and disgusting to see the false stories and cover up when my sister is fighting for my life,” she said.
After police alleged she was trying to retrieve her mobile phone when she was hit, critics have said she was in the wrong, and Caisha said that rumours circulating about the details of the accident have caused more pain for her family as they struggle to cope.
“Definitely misinformation regarding the accident, which is really sad and causing more distress for our family,” she said.
“Shylah is in critical condition and we won't know more until later today as we will be discussing with police and giving some eye witness statements.”
Caisha also revealed that her sister had been working at the show that day and had been helping at a friend’s stall when she was sent on a break with another worker, with both deciding to take the opportunity to go on some rides.
With the incident still under investigation by WorkSafe, Brad Jenkins, the CEO of the Melbourne Royal Show has refused to speculate on details surrounding it, including whether the ride was surrounded by a fence or how Shylah got onto the tracks.
"That's a subject for WorkSafe and police. That's part of the investigation. I wouldn't want to comment on that until the investigation goes through the process,” he told ABC Mornings host Virginia Trioli.
Mr Jenkins did say that the operator of the ride was “devastated”.
"Carnival operators are very close knit,” he added.
“The show's about trying to put smiles on people's faces."
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