Rollercoaster victim Shylah Rodden could soon get answers about the decisions made by ride operators who saw her hit and seriously injured at last year's Royal Melbourne Show.
Daily Mail Australia has been told Victoria's workplace watchdog WorkSafe is close to signing a letter of evidence against the show organizers and the ride operator.
Ms Rodden will spend years in rehabilitation after suffering a serious brain injury when the fast-moving ride threw her nine meters into the air.
She was hit while trying to retrieve a mobile phone she dropped on the tracks at the Melbourne Royal Show on September 24 last year.
Shylah Rodden was seriously injured in the tragic accident in September 2022
Gruesome footage shows Shylah Rodden (pictured in black) moments before he was hit by the Rebel Coaster at the Melbourne Royal show
Under Victorian law, WorkSafe has two years to bring charges against companies and individuals it believes have broken the state's strict employment laws.
A well-placed source told Daily Mail Australia that WorkSafe officials completed their investigation months ago, with the short evidence since reviewed by lawyers.
Once approved, the letter will be sent to the Public Prosecution Service where the material will be re-analyzed before being submitted to the court.
A Worksafe spokesperson confirmed this week that the investigation was in its final stages and the outcome is expected early next year.
Any negative finding against show operators and organizers could pave the way for Ms Rodden to take civil action against them.
Shylah Rodden (pictured) suffered 'life-changing' injuries after being hit by the rollercoaster
A source told Daily Mail Australia that ride operators would not be protected by a toxicology report if it indicated whether Ms Rodden was impaired at the time.
Although the results of that toxicology report were never made public from the time of the accident, police sources suggested that Ms. Rodden may have been under the influence of some form of medication.
The source said whatever prompted her to jump the track was not a concern of the safety watchdog, which focused only on whether precautions had been taken and followed.
It is understood WorkSafe's investigation focused on what the ride's operators were doing when they entered the track.
“Her toxicity levels are not relevant to the investigation into whether the duty holder did all that was reasonably practicable to provide a safe and healthy workplace,” the source said.
A WorkSafe inspection found that the Rebel Coaster could be 'safely' reopened just days after the accident.
A spokeswoman for the Show, who did not want to be named, defended safety procedures at the time of the incident.
“The safety and well-being of our fair visitors remains our number one priority,” she said in a statement at the time.
“Strict safety protocols are being enforced in accordance with Victorian WorkSafe regulations. All on-site rides have undergone stringent compliance inspections and have passed all required safety documentation.”
Shylah Rodden faces a long battle to recover after being struck by a rollercoaster in September
Daily Mail Australia tried to get comment from both Ms Rodden and the law firm representing her but received no response.
Her release from hospital in January to her family home in Craigieburn was heralded as a significant step on her long road to recovery.
However, a spokesperson for her legal team said in January that Ms Rodden would never fully recover.
“While this indicates that her condition has stabilized, the injuries she sustained remain life-changing,” it was stated at the time.
A spokeswoman for the Melbourne Royal Show claimed that 'the safety and well-being of our show visitors remains our highest priority' (pictured, the Royal Melbourne Show)
Questions about the height of the fences around the attraction (photo) remain unanswered by show management
Her father Alan Rodden told Daily Mail Australia shortly after the incident that his daughter had suffered life-changing injuries.
'I can't talk to my daughter. She will be in a coma for a while,” 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 so much damage was done.
“Even the doctors say they haven't seen something this bad in a long time.”
On the day she was struck by the rollercoaster, Ms Rodden had been working at a friend's stall at the Melbourne Royal Show.
The pair had been on a break when they decided to go for a few drives to pass the time.
It is understood she dropped her phone while on the roller coaster and police believe she walked onto the tracks of the high-speed ride to retrieve the device.
Shocking footage of the incident was shared on TikTok just days after it happened.