Photos have emerged of the Royal Roller Coaster accident victim, showing her improvement two years after the horrific accident.
Shayla Rhoden suffered serious injuries in September 2022 when she was struck by a Rebel Coaster after entering a fenced area to retrieve her phone.
She was hit by a vehicle travelling at speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, and was thrown about 9 metres into the air before falling to the ground.
Ms. Rhoden was left fighting for her life, with media reporting that she had suffered severe brain damage and extensive injuries to her head, pelvis, arms, legs and back.
But in new photos released by her family on Tuesday, the 28-year-old can be seen smiling outside a cafe, with no visible injuries to her face.
Despite the progress, Ms. Rhoden’s mother, Kylie, revealed that her daughter is still blind in her right eye and deaf in her left ear.
“She has no sense of smell, she has difficulty swallowing, she has cognitive impairments and disabilities,” Kylie told the Herald Sun.
She spends most of her days in various types of treatments.
“Sometimes she needs the support of a walking frame and a wheelchair, and she can only walk for a limited time before she needs to rest.”
Ms. Rhoden’s family also shared old photos of her in hospital days after the horrific accident and another photo of her with short hair after she was released from hospital.
The update comes just one day after WorkSafe Victoria confirmed the investigation into the incident had been completed.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, it was revealed that no further action would be taken.
“After careful consideration of the evidence, WorkSafe has decided not to take any further action against any liability holder in relation to this matter at this time,” he said.
Ms. Rhoden’s mother told the Daily Mail she was unhappy with the decision and was still unsure what happened on the day of the incident.
The family’s attorney, Charlene Mehta, also expressed disappointment that the investigation was closed and revealed that they had not received a copy of the findings.
“At this stage, we have only received a letter from WorkSafe stating that their investigations have been completed and that they have decided not to prosecute the flight operator,” Ms Mehta said.
“We have requested a copy of the investigation results, but it will take six to eight months for them to reach us. Until then, we have little information about the investigation results.”
