ORLANDO, Fla. — A woman who identified herself as a cousin of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson who died after falling from ICON Park's Orlando FreeFall ride has no relation to the family, according to the sheriff's office.
The woman, who calls herself "Shay Johnson," had recently done interviews with CNN and Orlando-area local media about the tragic accident that claimed the teen's life.
But Sampson's loved ones tell authorities they have no idea who Johnson is.
"Our detectives have looked into this and spoken with Tyre Sampson's mother. His mother told them she does not know who Shay Johnson is," the Orange County Sheriff's Office wrote in a statement from 10 Tampa Bay.
WFTV also reports that attorneys representing Sampson's family have said none of his family members knows Johnson.
At this time, "...there is no report. At this point, they have no evidence of a crime." the sheriff's office added.
Photos from a vigil held outside the Orlando FreeFall ride on March 28 show Johnson holding signs that read "Tyre Sampson Life Matters. Justice for All." and "We Want Justice" as she stood next to a memorial for the teen. Other images showed Johnson being hugged and getting emotional.
Woman pretends to be teen's cousin
Speaking to media outlets at the time, and CNN, Johnson claimed Sampson called her to say he was "too big" to ride some of the attractions at ICON Park and that he was excited to find out he could get on the Orlando FreeFall.
“He called me and said, 'they let me ride it,'” Johnson told Spectrum 13. “I can ride, I can ride, so I said 'ok get on.' Didn’t know this would be my last time talking to him alive. He just wanted to ride.”
Johnson made similar comments to CNN. The national outlet's story has since removed her comments from its online coverage writing "Tyre’s parents have since said they do not know her. "
Sampson was visiting from Missouri with a friend's family when authorities say he fell from the ride and later died at the hospital from his injuries. An investigation is ongoing into the Orlando FreeFall's safety measures and what may have contributed to the accident.
So far, no charges have been filed. A recently released accident report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services showed the teen fell out of his seat while it was in a "down and locked" position.
The same report also revealed Sampson exceeded weight and size restrictions for the ride but was still allowed on.
In the thrill ride's Operations and Maintenance Manual — to which it must adhere — the "maximum passenger weight" and size restrictions are outlined as being 130kg which equates to roughly 287 pounds.
The manual also states to "be careful when seeing if large guests fit into the seats, Check that they fit within the contours of the seat and the bracket fits properly. If this is not so, Do not let this person ride."
You can learn more about what the report uncovered here.