GABRIELA RODRÍGUEZ TEZOCO DIES AFTER FAIRGROUND RIDE FALL

Gabriela Rodríguez Tezoco died after falling from The Pendulum fairground ride at a traditional fair in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She came free of her restraints as the ride rotated at full speed on Tuesday night. Gabriela fell from her chair onto the forecourt. Red Cross paramedics attended to her at the fair in Baja California Sur. Medics took her to a nearby hospital, where she died the following morning.

Footage showed Gabriela’s legs rise above her head as she came out of the chair. Gabriela had recently left secondary school in Cabo San Lucas. A school pageant there had named her Princess of Cobach 10. A school spokesman said: “May your smile remain alive in our memory and your memory always be a light that accompanies us.” Civil Protection teams reportedly inspected the fair, including its rides, days before the fall.

Authorities shut down The Pendulum, sealed off the area and ordered safety checks on the fair’s other attractions. The State Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into how Gabriela came free of her restraints and whether anyone bears responsibility. Experts are examining the ride to establish whether it met operating standards. Los Cabos mayor Christian Agúndez Gómez called for support for Gabriela’s family, saying: “Today, with the same spirit with which we come together to celebrate, we must come together to accompany Gabriela’s family.” He added: “It could have been any of us. You are not alone.”