Mackenzie Croxford-Cook: Teen, 14, crushed to death in funfair ride after entering before opening time
DOVER, UNITED KINGDOM: A 14-year-old teenager, who entered a closed funfair with his companions before it had opened, was killed by the mechanical arm of one of the attractions, according to an inquest on Wednesday, January 31. Mackenzie Croxford-Cook died on August3, 2022, after sneaking into a traveling fairground in Dover's Pencester Gardens before it was open to the public.
Cook gained entry using the dodgems and trampolines, and was about to ride an attraction called the 'Body Count', when he got trapped and crushed in it. He was reportedly stuck six feet above the ground and died from "severe internal injuries." The postmortem revealed traces of cannabis in his urine.
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How did Mackenzie Croxford-Cook die?
Cook was killed immediately after getting caught on a ride's mechanical arm. A friend heard him scream but couldn't move the gondola he was trapped under. He passed out and died. Investigating officer DS Antony Welch reportedly said, "The chairs are extremely heavy, so once they are moving they're hard to stop. While at the top, he became trapped between the arm and carriage six. His friends tried to move the ride back anticlockwise but couldn't do so, neither could paramedics. Tragically, Mackenzie could not be freed and died at the scene before emergency services could arrive."
Assistant Coroner James Dylan called Cook's death a "misadventure", as per Mirror. He said, "I would like to pass on the condolences from all of us here at the coroner's service to the family and friends of Mackenzie for the tragic loss of this young man." Cook's liver and spleen were ruptured and the pathologist discovered THC acid residues in his body, which might appear after cannabis use.
Cook's friend called him a close friend, a joker, someone impulsive and someone who would do something to make his friends laugh. He was a student at the Goodwin Academy in Deal and was described as a "beautiful, special boy" following his death.
'Always be in our hearts'
His heartbroken grandmother, Debbie Harris, said that her "thoughtful, loving" grandson would "always be in our hearts." She reportedly said, "He was always happy to help others - it was something he took great pride in."
The operator of Forrest Amusements, the funfair that the teenager entered, said at the time that they were "deeply saddened" by the young boy's death, stating, "Our thoughts and sympathy are with the boy's family at this terrible time. As a family-run funfair, this incident has affected us all. We would like to thank all the emergency services that attended that day, who did everything they possibly could, and we are very grateful to each and every one of them."