Lawsuit Filed In Philadelphia Over Girl's Ferris Wheel Death At NJ Shore
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Last month's death of a Pleasantville, NJ girl in a plunge from atop a 156-foot-high ferris wheel along the Wildwood boardwalk (see related story) has resulted in a civil suit, filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.
The parents of 11-year-old Abiah Jones consulted with one set of lawyers shortly after the accident at Mariner's Landing (see previous story), but went with another firm to file the wrongful death suit.
"We believe and understand that Morey's was planning to put restraint systems on this ferris wheel, yet they didn't. Other ferris wheels around the world have restraint systems," says attorney Jeffrey Reiff, with the Beasley-Reiff law group, one of three lawyers handling the case.
Although, in the aftermath of the accident, the amusement park's owner raised height requirements and now prohibits solo riders.
As for filing the suit in Philadelphia, Reiff says Morey's does a lot of business here and his clients are likely to get a fairer hearing under Pennsylvania law.
A Morey's Piers spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060
