My teenage daughter was turned away from a water slide for being five pounds over the weight limit – she was humiliated | The Sun
A DAD has told how his teenage daughter was publicly humiliated after being turned away from a water slide for being five pounds over the weight limit.
Andrew Batton claims his child was left in tears after being forced to step on scales in front of crowds at the Raging Rivers Waterpark in Grafton, Illinois.
He had taken his family to the popular amusement park in hopes of a fun-filled day trying out the newest ride, the Mississippi Monster.
But after queueing up for the multi-chamber slide, the dad claims his 13-year-old daughter was told to climb on the scales in front of strangers.
Horrified Andrew says he watched on in shock as the timid teen was weighed in front of other park-goers, without any forewarning.
The dad told KMOV4: "The guy looked at us and my daughter and said, ‘You need to step on the scale'.
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"She steps on the scale and she’s 205."
The newly opened Mississippi Monster has a weight limit of 200 pounds – meaning the teen was just five pounds over.
But Andrew insists there was no signage to indicate to inform guests of the maximum weight for riders.
He continued: "I was like, ‘There’s nothing on the media about that. Was this posted anywhere?'
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"He was like, ‘No. We’ve had some people getting hurt so we’re limiting the weight on the ride.
"The disappointment that she felt by not being able to ride the brand-new ride was definitely overshadowed by the public humiliation of being asked to step on a scale.
"Then further than that, being told that you’re overweight."
Andrew and his 13-year-old daughter, who are both season ticket holders at the renowned waterpark, have vowed not to return.
Despite it being "such a source of joy" throughout her childhood, the dad said the experience is something the teen will be "discussing in therapy for years to come."
He added: "To have a company be responsible for such a massive mental impact on my daughter, it’s tough.
"Tears wound up in her eyes. We as parents now have to undo the emotional damage that this corporate company caused us."
Tears wound up in her eyes. We as parents now have to undo the emotional damage that this corporate company caused us.
The disgruntled dad shared his story online in a bid to "make sure that this doesn't happen to somebody else."
He added in a Facebook post: "The employee was extremely upset as well and explained that this scene has been playing out all day and many people had been upset/surprised by the restriction."
Raging Rivers have since ordered new water tubes for the Mississippi Monster slide to increase the weight capacity for the ride.
A spokesperson for the waterpark said: "Our goal is never to embarrass anyone, but we must look out for their safety while visiting Raging Rivers.
"Raging Rivers takes an abundance of precautions to ensure the safety of our guests while enjoying our slides and attractions.
"The new Mississippi Monster Slide has a max weight limit of 200 lbs per rider.
"Signage is located at the base of the slide, alerting guests of this restriction.
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"In addition, there is a scale that all guests who choose to ride the attraction must step on to ensure they meet the safety requirements for the ride.
"We will continue to follow manufacturer guidelines for safety while offering our guests a fun experience at Raging Rivers Waterpark."
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