Investigators are reviewing inspection records after a midair tilt threw riders 20 to 25 feet.
NEW ROADS, La. — Two girls under 13 were hospitalized Saturday after they were thrown 20 to 25 feet from a Ferris wheel bucket at the Harvest Festival on False River, authorities said. A third girl in the same bucket managed to hold on and was rescued without reported injuries.
The incident, reported around midday on Nov. 1, halted the Ferris wheel and a nearby slide while the rest of the festival continued. Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said both injured children were taken for treatment, with one airlifted to a Baton Rouge facility. The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal opened an investigation and pulled the ride from service. The case has sparked fresh scrutiny of how traveling amusement rides are inspected and who signs off on them before festivals open to the public.
Witnesses said a bucket on the Ferris wheel appeared to tilt or stick at an angle as the wheel moved, tossing the two riders. Eddie Jones, who was in line nearby, said he heard a scream and saw “the Ferris wheel car kicked over.” Another festivalgoer, Ronald Brasseaux, said the ride did not feel safe the previous night and described audible cracking. A third child in the affected bucket reportedly gripped the structure until workers brought the wheel to a stop and guided the rider down. Festival staff closed the Ferris wheel and an adjacent slide shortly after the fall while law enforcement and fire personnel secured the area and gathered statements from those on scene.
Officials said one girl suffered broken bones and the other had a possible brain bleed. Both spent the night in intensive care; relatives later said their conditions were improving. Sheriff Thibodeaux called the injuries “moderate to severe” in early updates. The Ferris wheel had no seatbelts, according to multiple witnesses. The ride’s most recent inspection was performed by a third-party contractor, a practice allowed under state law. State Fire Marshal Bryan Adams said his office is examining the inspection history and mechanical condition of the bucket and its hinge points. The precise cause of the tilt remains unknown, and investigators have not publicly identified the girls by name due to their ages.
The Harvest Festival on False River is a regional event that draws families from across Pointe Coupee Parish and the Baton Rouge area each fall. While ride incidents are rare compared with overall attendance, Louisiana’s oversight of mobile amusements has changed over time. Third-party inspections have been permitted in recent years, removing the state fire marshal’s office from some hands-on checks. After the New Roads fall, Adams said he wants changes to how rides are approved and who is responsible for sign-offs before festivals open. The Ferris wheel remained closed after the incident; other attractions reopened following safety checks by festival staff and officials.
Adams said he will push for legislative fixes in the upcoming session, including returning more direct oversight to his office and tightening documentation of daily ride checks. He said he wants clearer authority to halt operations when inspection records are incomplete or when on-site conditions differ from paperwork. Any potential penalties or citations for the vendor will depend on the final investigative report. No criminal charges had been announced as of Monday, and authorities did not provide the vendor’s name. City officials said they are waiting for the fire marshal’s findings before considering permit changes for future events. If lawmakers take up the issue in early January, a bill could be filed before the carnival season.
Parents and vendors described a shaken but orderly scene after the fall. “Thank the good Lord they will both recover,” Sheriff Thibodeaux said in a weekend update. A vendor who had a booth facing the ride said she heard a “boom” and turned to see bystanders pointing upward as operators stopped the wheel. A teenager from nearby Jarreau said he saw workers block off the area within minutes and guide people away from the queue. Several riders waiting in line said the bucket that tilted looked stuck at an angle while the rest of the gondolas swung normally. By nightfall, festival organizers announced the Ferris wheel would stay closed for the remainder of the weekend.
As of Monday, both girls had been released from the hospital, families said, and investigators were reviewing mechanical parts, maintenance logs and inspection certificates. The fire marshal’s office expects to share preliminary findings in the coming weeks, with any legislative proposals likely to surface in early January. The Ferris wheel remains out of service pending a final determination.
Author note: Last updated November 17, 2025.