While visiting Des Moines’ Adventureland Park on a family trip over the weekend, parents David and Sabrina Jaramillo boarded a “Raging River” water ride at the Iowa amusement park along with their three sons and niece, but later experienced the unimaginable when the raft they were on flipped over, throwing them into the water. Though the parents could swim to safety, their son Michael Jaramillo, 11, later died following the incident.
According to ABC News, their 15-year old son David Jaramillo was hospitalized and placed in a medically induced coma.
David and Sabrina boarded the Adventureland raft this past Saturday, July 3, along with Michael, David, their 14-year old son August and Nyla, their niece. ABC News reported that the family buckled their seatbelts and before the ride began, what was supposed to be a fun experience quickly went awry, with their raft flipping over on itself.
“I’m drowning. The river was so intense, it was like a suction,” David told ABC News about the frightening experience, continuing, “I see the silhouettes of my sons trying to grab each other, grab us. They want us to help them. We couldn’t do it.”
The Jaramillo family was stuck underneath the water, but the parents, August and Nyla, were able to swim to the surface. Brothers Michael and David were still stuck beneath the water until witnesses and first responders could jump in and free them from the raft, ABC News reported.
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That Saturday, Michael and David were transported to a local hospital, where both were placed under critical condition. The following day, Michael was unfortunately pronounced dead as a result of his sustained injuries. According to ABC News, David was placed under a medically induced coma and remained in the hospital with his parents by his side.
“He was a baby, and I feel like Adventureland robbed me of my baby,” Sabrina told ABC News about her tragic loss.
In an Adventureland Park statement obtained by the news outlet, the Des Moines amusement park stated that an investigation is underway and that rides will be closed before undergoing an inspection, continuing, “Adventureland is working closely with both the State and local authorities, and would like to thank them again for their efforts. At this time, we ask for your thoughts and prayers for the Guest and their family, as well as for our team members who were on site.”
