Dad Grabs Son After Seat Belt Malfunctions Mid-Ride on Texas Roller Coaster
— -- A video meant to capture a 6-year-old kid's roller coaster experience went viral after the ride's seat belt malfunctioned, forcing his father to hold him onto him for the remainder of the ride.
Delbert Latham and his son, Kaysen, were visiting the Wonderland Amusement Park in Amarillo, Texas, when they decided to ride the Mousetrap roller coaster for a second time, ABC affiliate KVII in Amarillo reported.
The duo were placed in the same seat as the first time, but when Latham latched on his son's seat belt, it came undone as he tightened the band, he told KVII.
"I just thought I didn't get it clicked in well enough," Latham told KVII. "I re-clicked it and tightened it up. It was fine. There were no problems with it."
On the first drop of the ride, Latham said he felt the seat belt release, and the motion threw Kaysen to the bottom of the cart. Latham then grabbed him and held him for the rest of the ride.
Latham had begun to record Kaysen on the ride for his wife to see, according to KVII. In the video, Kaysen's facial expressions change from carefree to terrified after he falls to the floor.
"I've got you," Latham says to his son in the video. "You're fine. I promise."
Latham didn't realize he was still filming after Kaysen's seat belt came undone.
"I was just trying to make sure that he held on and that he didn't start panicking or start trying to move or anything, because I knew that there was another drop coming up," he told KVII.
After they got off the ride, Latham informed an operator of the mishap, who apologized and said it had been "happening sometimes," KVII reported. People were allowed back onto the ride, but not in the car Latham and his son were sitting in.
"That's when it made me more angry," Latham said, adding that the amusement park should have shut the ride down and not anyone else on.
In 2014, four people sustained injuries on the same ride, KVII reported, citing a Texas Department of Insurance injury report.
Wonderland Amusement Park said in a statement that the ride was originally built without a seat belt, but they were added in as an extra safety precaution.
"Wonderland Amusement Park has taken great strides over the past 65 years to ensure the safety of our visitors at all times," the park said.
