Six flags over Georgia will reopen Friday just days after a rider was thrown from the Goliath roller coaster.
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The four children injured are between 12 and 15 years old.
Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell spoke with the father of the youngest victim. He didn’t want to be interviewed on camera.
He told Newell his son is out of the hospital but traumatized by what happened to him on the roller coaster behind me and said his family is not okay right now.
Their heart goes out to Hassan Kariem’s family.
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NewsChopper 2 was over at Six Flags Over Georgia and noticed vehicles on the ground. But it’s unclear who they belong to.
The Georgia insurance and safety fire commissioner said investigators and engineers have been at the park around the clock following the tragic death of Kariem, who was thrown from the goliath rollercoaster on Monday.
“He just started riding on this ride, and he was always scared to get on it,” parkgover Vanessa Ward said of her 8-year-old grandson. “I wouldn’t even get on them, I’m looking out for him because I know I wouldn’t be able to take it if he fell off one of them rides.”
“He don’t wanna get on no more roller coasters,” she added. “They need to change this and put some more security over top of people, not just that bottom. I think something on the top need to be attached to.“
On Thursday, the Georgia insurance and safety fire commissioner released information about the investigation that says in part: “We owe it to the Kariem family, to everyone affected by this tragedy, and to the people of our great state to find out exactly what happened. Under Georgia’s amusement ride safety regulations, any ride involved in an accident resulting in a fatality or serious injury must remain out of service until OCI has conducted a full investigation.”
The park will reopen Friday.
“We had family members. We had tickets for all of the rest of my family and stuff, and now they changed they minds. They don’t wanna come,” Ward said.
She said she still plans to visit the park with her grandson this weekend.
Newell asked park officials if the other roller coasters have been inspected this week or if additional safety checks will be conducted before the reopening but haven’t heard back.
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