Girl injured on amusement park's teacup ride

13-year-old in intensive care after hitting her head

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updated 2:17 p.m. ET July 2, 2007

DANIA BEACH, Fla. - A 13-year-old girl was hospitalized after hitting her head while on a spinning teacup ride at an amusement park.

Natashia West was injured Thursday on the Magic Teacup ride at Boomers, just south of Fort Lauderdale. She remained sedated in intensive care Monday with head injuries.

“All I want is for her to be the same little girl she was,” said Donnie Jackson, her father.

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The ride carries passengers inside round cups. At the center of each cup is a wheel riders can turn to control how fast it spins. It was not clear how Natashia hit her head or what part of the ride she hit it on.

State officials inspected the ride Friday and found no mechanical problems, agency spokesman Terence McElroy said.

The department has not concluded its investigation but expects to release a report later this week. The ride was cleared by the department to open but remained closed Monday, McElroy said. A routine inspection by the department in April also found the ride to have no mechanical problems.