NJ Orders Ride Shutdown As 911 Calls Released After Girl's Death

NEW JERSEY — State officials ordered certain amusement rides shut down this week as horrifying details emerged about the death of a police officer's 10-year-old daughter at a New Jersey festival.

The state Department of Community Affairs has ordered the shutdown of the Wisdom Super Sizzler and all other Sizzler-related rides throughout the state until the cause of the incident is determined.

It's not known exactly where these rides are located, but Hailey McMullen was killed after she was thrown from one ride called "Xtreme" on Saturday at the Deerfield Harvest Festival. The horrifying moments after the 10-year-old girl's fatal fall were captured in 911 calls released this week (listen below).

The state also released a series of incident reports that have been filed over the years for the Xtreme ride, which passed its most recent inspection in April. None of the reports seemed to reveal serious deficiencies, though one from 2015 did indicate a problem with a restraint.

Saturday's incident report, which is part of the investigation, will be made available at the conclusion of the investigation, according to the state community affairs department.

Tammori Petty, a department spokesperson, said her department annually inspects all amusement park and carnival rides prior to the start of the ride season. The inspection includes:

• A thorough mechanical and electrical examination
• A check that the ride passed annual tests using specialized equipment that can show flaws or damage to parts that may not be visible to the naked eye
• A review of the ride maintenance logs and checklists
• Confirmation that operator and maintenance technicians all have valid training certifications

The annual permit assures the ride has passed the inspection tests and is properly insured. The Wisdom Super Sizzler ride was inspected for a 2019 permit on April 24 and was found to be in compliance, she said.

The department also performs inspections for portable rides at traveling shows, which determines whether the ride has been assembled correctly and is safely supported. Maintenance logs are checked to verify the operator is completing required daily checklists. Training certifications are reviewed to ensure operator competence, she said.

The 911 calls start with people saying "somebody just got hurt on a ride," but then escalate, describing how the Xtreme ride dragged Hailey and might have even struck her.

"She got really badly hurt at a festival ride," one person said. "It dragged her and tucked her under."

"A girl fell out of the ride and she got smacked by the ride," another person said.

Here are the calls:

A New Jersey community, meanwhile, remains in mourning as services for Hailey have been announced. The Salem City Police Department has set up an account to help the family pay for the funeral. Hailey's dad, Chris, is an officer with the department.

A GoFundMe page also was set up for Hailey's family.

The ride's operator, Skelly's Amusements of Williamstown, drew criticism for deciding not to immediately cancel its amusement operation while the investigation continues. The company ultimately relented and closed the rides Sunday.

At least two popular fairs in New Jersey — in Manasquan and the Middlesex County Fair — have used Skelly's as their operator in the past. Read more: Girl Killed On Ride Operated By Company That Does Manasquan Fairs

The incident happened at 6:18 p.m. Saturday; Hailey was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m., police said.

Read more: 911 Calls, Details Released As Officer's Daughter Dies On NJ Ride

Hailey, who was born in Vineland, was a fifth-grade student at Deerfield Township Elementary School, according to her obituary.

"Hailey is and was the most beautiful little girl inside and out," the obituary said. "She was kind to everyone."

"She went by many nicknames including Chicken Baby, Chick and Mimi. She never left the room or the house without hugging someone and telling them she loved them. She enjoyed nature, animals and water. She viewed the world as an adventure.

"She was creative, always making videos and art. Her imagination was huge as well as her intelligence. She was sassy and did not accept statements like 'Because I told you so.' She wanted to know why and wanted to do the right thing even if it was not the popular thing."

The obituary also said she was a wonderful daughter who would "wake up very early in the morning when mom and dad were getting ready for work, just to see us and spend time with us (we called it coffee with Chick). She wanted to be a veterinarian and a famous YouTuber."

"She would spend hours playing games with her brother and sister. Often they were games made up for themselves. Hailey would giggle and laugh, and it was such an intoxicating laugh that contained pure joy, spirit, and a love of life."

A public visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the Maranatha Baptist Church, 1524 Bridgeton Millville Pike, in Millville.

Private funeral services will be held later. Arrangements are under the direction of the Padgett Funeral Home, Upper Deerfield Township. Written condolences can be sent to the family at www.padgettfuneralhomes.com.

A local church also was offering a place for people to grieve:

Here are some of the tributes paid to Hailey: