KEY POINTS

  • Shylah Rodden, 26, sustained brain damage and several broken bones
  • It's the second tragedy for the family in less than two months
  • Rodden was reportedly trying to retrieve her phone when she was struck

Tragedy unfolded at a public event after a woman endured a horrific accident and landed in a hospital battling for life. The incident occurred Sunday at the centuries-old annual agricultural show in Melbourne, Australia.

The victim, Shylah Rodden, was at the Royal Melbourne Show when she was struck by a roller coaster. Shocked bystanders witnessed her being dragged nine meters into the air before falling to the ground.

The accident happened around 5:45 p.m. as Rodden attempted to retrieve her mobile phone from the ground. Police believe she walked onto the 350-m long track of the ride and met with the accident while looking for her device, reported 9News.

Rodden has sustained horrific head and facial injuries and was critical as of Monday afternoon, local time. This is the second tragedy in less than two months for the Rodden family.

In a social media post dated July 27, the victim shared an emotional tribute dedicated to her deceased elder brother.

"My World come crashing down on Friday night when dad sat me down and told me that my brother had passed away," she wrote. "He wasn't just my big brother, he was my best friend, my everything, the person I looked up to and inspired to be like," her post continued.

Rodden suffered brain damage due to the accident, and she had broken bones in almost every body part, according to her father, Alan.

The doctors reportedly told the father that they haven't seen anything as bad as this case in a long time, a report said.

The ride that struck her is called the Rebel Coaster and the show's CEO Brad Jenkins said he's "very confident" that the necessary safety protocols were in place during the incident.

"The protocols and the assessment of the ride, which is done by WorkSafe, are the tightest in Australia," Jenkins said. He clarified, "From all reports she's gone to recover her phone. It's not a malfunction or whatever."

He declined to go into specifics as to how Rodden accessed the tracks. "That's a subject for WorkSafe and police. That's part of the investigation. I wouldn't want to comment on that until the investigation goes through the process," he told ABC Mornings host Virginia Trioli on Monday.

Detectives from Yarra Crime Investigation Unit began investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, according to Victoria Police.

Official statement from Victoria Police - Sunday 25 SeptemberPolice are currently on scene at the Melbourne Royal Show following reports a young woman has been injured.Officers are working to...

The area surrounding the ride was marked as a crime scene but it was business as usual at the Royal Melbourne show, sans the Rebel Coaster which was shut until further notice, according to an official statement released by the show organizers on Monday morning.

Melbourne Royal Statement regarding the tragic accident at the Rebel Coaster ride on Sunday afternoon at the Melbourne Royal Show.

"The ride in question will be closed for the foreseeable future and updates will be made as information comes to hand. The safety and well-being of our visitors to the Show is our number one priority.

We uphold strict protocols in compliance with Victorian WorkSafe regulations. The Melbourne Royal Show will remain open until Sunday 2nd October," the statement continued.

roller-coaster-2461737_1920
Representation. The California State Fair's police detained a Black boy after he allegedly climbed a safety fence and was almost hit by a roller coaster. paulbr75/Pixabay