Mum of Adelene Leong who was killed on a Royal Adelaide Show ride in 2014 sues over ‘immensely traumatic’ accident

The mother of a little girl flung to her death from a Royal Adelaide Show ride a decade ago is suffering ongoing mental trauma after watching her daughter die, a lawsuit alleges.

Adelene died after falling from the AirMaxx 360 ride at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2014. Source: supplied by family

The mother of a little girl flung to her death from a Royal Adelaide Show ride a decade ago is suffering “immense” mental trauma after watching her daughter die, a lawsuit alleges.

Kim Neo Ng, 59, is suing six parties including show organisers and the state’s safety watchdog after eight-year-old Adelene Leong died while on a dream family holiday from Malaysia.

Kim Ng took this picture of Adelene on the AirMaxx 360 ride shortly before the accident. Picture: supplied

She launched District Court action after she “witnessed” the girl being “ejected” from the AirMaxx 360 ride’s seat 15 at the Wayville event on September 12, 2014.

The court this month heard the civil case had “resolved” but no details were disclosed while formal terms are still being agreed.

Court documents alleged negligence and breaches of safety obligations against ride owners C, J & Sons Amusements Pty Ltd, safety inspector Safe is Safe Pty Ltd, AirMaxx’s Spanish manufacturer, a Queensland engineering firm, SafeWork SA and the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of SA.

In her revised statement of claim, Ms Ng sued for medical and funeral expenses, an apology, personal injuries damages, costs and interest for her losses.

The 25-page claim, filed with the court, outlines a catalogue of alleged failures including the unsafe 24-seat ride did not meet Australian safety standards, posed a serious risk of injury or death, was not properly inspected and wrongly assembled.

She claims her daughter was too short, workers failed to apply a minimum 120cm height requirement, her harness was also not locked properly and a staff phone ban was not enforced.

She also sought more time to launch action against the state government and show organisers.

“The incident was immensely shocking and traumatic,” her claim states.

Police and SafeWork SA inspectors look at the seat where Adelene died at 12.14pm. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

“(Ms Ng) has experienced and continues to experience serious ongoing psychiatric symptoms.

“Her capacity to work has been and continues to be impaired as a result of her injuries and she will suffer economic loss in future (as a) consequence.”

In its statement of defence, lawyer Andrew Hilditch, defending the society, denied the claims because his client was unaware of any safety issues.

He alleged her lawsuit was “out of time” and “justice between the parties doesn’t justify (it)”.

“(Ms Ng) has sufficiently recovered from any injury, damage and/or loss such that she no longer experiences pain, suffering and/or loss of amenity,” the society’s defence states.

Screen grabs from footage released by the Coroner's Court of the Adelene Leong seconds before she was thrown from a ride at the Royal Adelaide Show and killed. Picture: supplied

He said if she did, which is denied, it was “minimal”.

“(She) has sufficiently recovered … and can resume her normal duties or other equivalent employment and is therefore not suffering from any impairment to her working capacity.”

The papers state if there was “some impairment”, also denied, she had other earning capacity to offset any losses. No other party lodged a defence.

SafeWork SA dropped its prosecution against Safe is Safe and Queensland-based director Hamish Munro, 65, of Mt Low, in May 2018.

The ride’s owners, including co-director Jenny-Lee Sullivan, 48, were notionally fined $157,500 but only paid $840 in penalties after pleading guilty to industrial charges.

A Royal Show spokeswoman declined comment outside court while the ongoing case was in the hands of its insurer.

No other party commented outside court.

The case returns to court in December.

Originally published as Mum of Adelene Leong who was killed on a Royal Adelaide Show ride in 2014 sues over ‘immensely traumatic’ accident