Girl Accidentally Hangs Herself at Haunted House
In a haunted house hanging like no other, a 17-year-old employee at Creepyworld was found hanging by a noose Thursday evening.
The teen was a hired actor at the Fenton, Mo. Halloween attraction, and had been using the noose as a prop. Police are unsure of how she hung herself, but believe that she stood on top of a nearby bathtub and placed it around her neck. She may have slipped and the investigation is ongoing
She is now in critical condition at a nearby hospital.
Halloween Products Inc., which operates Creepyworld, has designed over 200 haunted houses around the world. Like most haunted houses, the company has had its share of incidents. However, nothing has come as close to last week's haunted house hanging.
This is likely because it is standard practice in the industry to thoroughly train employees for their safety and that of guests, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Reports suggest that Creepyworld at least somewhat adheres to these standards.
The girl was found by a co-worker hired to check on the safety of employees throughout the night.
Still, the company may not have properly trained the teen or ensured that the props were safe for use. Investigators will need to determine whether she was told not to put it around her neck. They need to know why the rope was so short, and why it was large enough for a human head.
There are too many questions about the Creepyworld haunted house hanging to determine who is at fault. But right now, it seems like a very sad and very bizarre accident.
Related Resources:
- Employee of Creepy World in Fenton hurt after getting tangled in noose (KSDK-TV)
- Negligence (FindLaw)
- Workplace Safety: OSHA and OSH Act Overview (FindLaw)