Autopsy shows girl fell farther than initially reported in fatal zip lining accident
WESTFIELD, N.C. -- A new autopsy shows that a Wilmington girl fell more than twice the distance initially reported in a fatal zip lining accident.
The Charlotte Observer reports that 12-year-old Bonnie Sanders Burney died June 11 at Camp Cheerio in Alleghany County. The autopsy says Burney fell 43 feet and that her zip line became tangled in the harness and broke.
The YMCA in High Point of High Point runs Camp Cheerio. YMCA President David Ozmore had said that a section of the rope may have melted as a result of friction, possibly from another rope.
Zip lines are exempt from state regulation in North Carolina. Burney's death led the General Assembly to swiftly pass a law requiring officials to research possible regulations.
RELATED: Zip lines, carnival ride accidents focus of North Carolina legislation
Camp officials could not be reached for comment.
