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Melbourne woman Shylah Rodden has been identified as the victim of a shocking roller coaster accident that left her clinging to life.
Ms Rodden, 26, remains in an intensive care unit after suffering ‘horrific’ injuries in the accident, which is still under investigation.
Her father, Alan Rodden, told Daily Mail Australia that there has been a mystery surrounding Shylah’s death.
Shylah Rodden suffered horrific injuries in a roller coaster accident in Melbourne on Sunday
Shylah Rodden and her sister Caisha in happier times. Shylah fights for his life in hospital
A woman in her 20s has been rushed to hospital after being injured while riding the Royal Melbourne Show. Pictured: The Rebel Coaster at the Royal Melbourne Show
“There are a lot of stories going around and I don’t know which one is true or if anyone is covering their tracks,” he said.
On Monday, police claimed that Shylah was hit by the ride at the Royal Melbourne Show while trying to get her mobile phone off the tracks.
But eyewitnesses to the tragedy claim she had been on the ride.
Shocked families watched as chaos unfolded in The Rebel Coaster on Sunday, with paramedics treating Shylah at the scene for serious facial injuries before taking her to hospital in critical condition.
Mr Rodden suggested that his daughter had suffered life-altering injuries.
‘Of course I can’t talk to my daughter. She will be in a coma for quite some time,” he said.
“The injuries are terrible. Awful. She has brain damage. It’s the pelvis, her arms, legs, back, neck – there’s almost nothing that isn’t broken. I just don’t understand how the hell so much damage was done.
“Even the doctors have said they haven’t seen this much in ages.”
Shylah Rodden was working on the show when she apparently decided to go on the roller coaster during a break
Shylah Rodden fights for his life after shocking roller coaster crash in Melbourne
Shylah Rodden had broken almost every bone in her body in the shocking accident
Shylah’s sister Caisha Rodden told Daily Mail Australia that her sister had worked on the show.
“Shylah was actually working there. She was helping her boyfriend at her booth that day and she was sent on a break with another employee and they decided to take a few rides to pass the time and unfortunately this happened,” she said.
Caisha lashed out at vicious trolls who used social media to mock her seriously ill sister.
“It’s sad and disgusting to see and cover up the false stories when my sister is fighting for her life,” Caisha said.
While police allege that Shylah attempted to retrieve her phone, some eyewitnesses allege that she had been aboard the roller coaster.
“She flew off the ride, loud bang. Followed by a scream and a very loud bang from her hitting the ground,” an eyewitness said on social media.
“I was standing right next to it when it happened. Poor girl lying in a big pool of blood because the medical response was so slow!’
“My daughter was there too and they called Crimestoppers because they felt like she had fallen off the ride too,” wrote another person.
Passengers on the ride were stranded on the roller coaster for hours after the ride was shut down.
Others on the ride were left stranded on the coaster for some time and the ride was immediately shut down
A witness, who had been sitting next to the drive, claimed that the police’s claims that the woman had picked up a phone were incorrect.
“I didn’t see her walking or climbing the tracks at all, we saw her flying from the ride, where she landed and how she landed is inconsistent with getting hit,” a woman claimed.
“Not from what we’ve seen. We were right next to the ride when it happened.’
Shortly before the accident, the witness had taken her son on the ride.
“We saw her fall off the ride, (heard) the scream and crack of her hitting the ground. My husband was one of the first on the scene. We were right next to it when it happened,” she said.
In a statement from the Victoria Police Department, investigators claimed the woman “may have” walked onto the track to try to retrieve a fallen phone.
“Unfortunately, the woman was subsequently found injured on the ground,” police said.
A woman remains in critical condition after tragic roller coaster incident in Melbourne
One passenger claimed they were forced to take their personal belongings with them on the ride.
“They forced you to take your things with you on the ride! I went on Friday and they let me take my bag and a bottle of coke on it. I was afraid I would drop something,’ the woman explained.
“You had no choice. I sat on it today and had to grab my sunglasses and hold them tight. They should have had lockers,” said another.
A spokesman for The Royal Melbourne Show told Daily Mail Australia it is working with authorities to find out how the tragedy could have happened.
Speaking to ABC Mornings host Virginia Trioli on Monday, Show CEO Brad Jenkins declined to say whether there was a fence around the ride or how high that fence was.
“I can’t say anything specific about that particular ride,” he said. ‘Over there [are] operators at each of the attractions.’
A video published on YouTube in 2021 from aboard the ride at the Sydney Royal Easter Show shows a fence around the ride that appears to be no higher than 1.5 metres.
Jenkins claimed that Shylah had gone to get her phone when she was hit.
“All the messages show that she went to pick up her phone. It’s not a malfunction or anything,” he said.
He wouldn’t say exactly how she found it.
Victoria Police and WorkSafe are investigating the incident.
Anyone who witnesses it should call Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.