Boy, 12, In Critical Condition After Falling Off Water Log At Castles N’ Coasters Amusement Park In Phoenix


A 12-year-old boy, Dominick Leal, is said to be in critical condition after falling off of a log ride at the Castles N’ Coasters amusement park in Phoenix, Arizona. The boy allegedly suffered a cracked skull and is in a medically-induced coma following the incident in which bystanders claim the child stood up and tried to exit the ride at the top of the slide. The boy’s foot got caught on the Water Log ride and he was dragged for a period before falling 30 feet from the top of the ride.

AZ Family reports that 12-year-old Dominick Leal was critically injured on a Water Log at Castles N’ Coasters amusement park in Phoenix. The boy was riding the log ride when he attempted to exit the ride while it was in motion. The ride operator at the top of the ride allegedly told the park worker that he was “ok” and not to stop the ride. The operator then informed him he needed to be seated. However, after the conversation, the boy proceeded to stand again while at the top of the ride and fell off.

“We have multiple people who witnessed the boy stand up at the last second and try to get out of the boat at the top of the ride. The ride operator at the top of the ride was able to have communication with the boy before the incident and the boy said he was ‘ok’ and to not stop the ride… There was no malfunction on the ride. Unfortunately, if he had followed the safety rules he would be fine.”

However, the boy’s family paint a different picture of the incident and claim that the ride operator ignored the boy’s pleas to stop the ride. The child allegedly told the operator that he was “sliding” and was waving his hands for help. The child’s grandmother says that the Castles N’ Coasters employee should have listened to the boy’s pleas for help and the accident could have been avoided. Meanwhile, the Castles N’ Coasters officials say the ride did not malfunction and if the child had remained seated he would not have been injured. The amusement park says safety rules were not followed and that the ride does not have a belt or bar, but rather they inform riders to stay seated at all times. KPHO reports that witnesses to the fall say the boy was standing while the Water Log ride was at its highest point. The boy’s foot got caught and he was dragged before falling into the water and subsequently down the 30-foot Water Log drop.

The child underwent two hours of surgery and has been placed in a medically-induced coma for a traumatic brain injury. His family says that it will take 18 months for the recovery process to be completed and that the child may never fully recover from the horrifying Castles N’ Coasters accident. The amusement park is standing by their claims that they were not in the wrong and said they “feel horrible” about the incident.

“We at Castles N’ Coasters are devastated by this unfortunate incident, and our sincere condolences and prayers go out to this young boy and his family. We have offered family fun at our parks for over fifty years and this is the first incident of this nature that we have encountered. We want everyone who comes to Castles N’ Coasters to enjoy a safe and fun experience. We have an impeccable safety record, one of the best in the industry. We hold regularly scheduled Safety Meetings on all of our rides which are meticulously inspected on a daily basis before the public is allowed to participate on any ride. We have policies and procedures in place for the safety of our guests and are continually training our staff. We feel horrible that this happened.”

Do you think that Castles N’ Coasters should be held liable for the accident even if the child stood up on his own accord? Or are patrons at amusement parks responsible for their own safety on rides such as the Water Log?

[Image via Castles N’ Coasters/Instagram]

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