Four-year-olds’ death at Disney remains a mystery

Following an autopsy that showed no trauma, the death of a 4-year-old boy who collapsed on a Walt Disney World ride in Florida remained a mystery.

A cause of death may not be known for twelve weeks, according to Sheri Blanton, a spokeswoman for the Medial Examiner’s Office in Orlando.

The child, Daudi Bamuwamye, lost consciousness after a ride on “Mission: Space” at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park.

More than 8.6 million visitors have gone on “Mission: Space” since 2003, making it on one of Disney’s most popular attractions.

The ride recreates a rocket launch and a trip to Mars. A clock counts down before a simulated blastoff that includes smoke and flame and the sound of roaring rocket engines. The G-forces twist and distort riders’ faces.

An audio recording and a video warn of the risks. Signs advise pregnant women not to go on the ride. Motion sickness bags are offered to riders. One warning sign posted last year read:

 “For safety you should be in good health, and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness or other conditions that can be aggravated by this adventure.”

Since the attraction opened in 2003, seven people have been taken to the hospital for chest pains, fainting or nausea. That is the most hospital visits for a single ride since Florida’s major theme parks agreed in 2001 to report any serious incidents to the state. The most recent case was last summer, when a 40-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after fainting.

“Two Gs is not that big a deal,” Houston-based theme park consultant Randy King told wire services. He is a former safety director at Six Flags, which operates 30 amusement parks.

The boy from Sellersville, Pennsylvania, was on the ride with his mother and a sister. During the ride, the mother noticed that the child’s body was rigid and his legs were stretched straight out. She told detectives that she thought he was frightened, so she took his hand. When the ride was over, he had gone limp.

The boy’s father is Moses Bamuwamye, a finance officer at the United Nations, authorities said.

One other death was reported at Disney World this year. A 77-year-old woman who was in poor health from diabetes and several mini-strokes died in February after going on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. A medical examiner’s report said her death “was not unexpected.”

Millions of people go on rides without a problem, suggested Arthur Levine, the theme parks guide for About.com. “The safety record is phenomenal,” he said.

Florida’s major theme parks are not directly regulated by the state, and instead have their own inspectors.

At least one federal lawmaker, however, Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, suggested federal legislation over theme parks was necessary.

Report by David Wilkening