Family fight for theme park safety after schoolgirl's death
The family of a girl from Leicester who died at Drayton Manor theme park want to get to the truth about her death, MPs have heard.
Evha Jannath died after she fell from the Splash Canyon ride water ride in May.
Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, said her family were "concerned at potential negligence" leading to her death, and don't want other families to be "hit by a tragic event like this again".
He made the comments while leading a House of Commons debate on theme park safety last night (3 July).
The debate heard how eyewitnesses said Evha tried to walk towards the vessel after she fell into the water and received "no help and was eventually sucked under the water", despite her friends calling for help.
Mr Vaz suggested potential changes to improve theme park safety, such as making sure children under 12 are accompanied by an adult at all times on similar rides.
He also called for a change in the law to lift the "woefully low" £15,000 cap on bereavement damages for death of a child.
Work and Pensions minister Penny Mordaunt said Drayton Manor's procedures for responding to emergencies at the Splash Canyon ride will be examined as part of the investigation.
She promised "appropriate action" will be taken if the investigation exposes any breaches of the law.
However, she said there was no date yet for the Health and Safety Executive report.
An inquest into Evha's death has been adjourned until November.
She was one of a party of children on a school trip to the park on 9 May from Leicester's Jameah Girls Academy.