Spinal bruises, cord damaged: Indian teen critical after hair caught in go-kart in South Africa

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 05, 2023: A fifteen-year-old teen is in a critical condition and has suffered severe injuries after her hair got caught in a go-kart at an entertainment centre in Durban. The teen is being treated for spinal bruising, spinal cord damage, and a torn aorta and is currently in the ICU, a South African online newspaper reported.

 

The teen, Kristen Govender, was injured last week at Gateway Mall and also got a torn scalp and no movement from her waist down, her father, Vernon Govender, told the newspaper. The teen’s father said that her daughter was wearing a helmet and her long hair had been tied in a ponytail, insisting that she followed all the rules.

He said while family members were present, she was assisted by bystanders who called paramedics, according to TimesLive. The incident is being investigated by authorities.

’MANAGAMENT FAILED TO PROVIDE HELP’

Kristen Govender’s father has alleged that the equipment on the go-kart was faulty and that the management failed to provide immediate assistance. Gateway Mall confirmed the incident at the Action Karting establishment last Wednesday, reported TimesLive. The mall in a statement said that it would not comment on the incident due to its ’insensitive nature and out of respect for the family’.

It said a management representative was in contact with her father since the day after the incident.

“During her first lap of the course, Kristin did spin-off onto the barrier. That is when the back of the go-kart became loose,” Govender was quoted as saying by the weekly Post.

“The cover covering the axel looked loose to her. When one of the officials came up to her, she asked about the loose cover. The official told her it was fine, removed the piece of plastic, threw it aside, and told her to continue racing. This is also when her hair, which is over a metre long, got loose under her helmet.

“On her second lap, the back of her hair got caught in this exposed axle, and she was scalped. Her hair from the front of her head was pulled out, and it tore her scalp.

“She was bleeding profusely. My 13-year-old son was with her. He ran to the go-karting office to report the accident, but the office was closed. They quickly closed everything. Even the management, including the safety officers, who were supposed to be there, left the scene,” Govender said.

WHAT ARE THE AUTHORITIES SAYING?

The authorities of the mall have stated that all the safety measures were followed at the track. Steven Pool, the owner of Action Karting Gateway, told the weekly that all safety measures were followed at the track. He and also threatened legal action over allegations that Kristin’s uncle had been “extremely aggressive” towards staff who tried to assist after the incident.

“We sympathise with the family. But we have never had an incident to this extent in the eight years that I have taken over the track. All our clients watch a safety briefing video, which is very clear on how to ride the kart and how to behave on the track, including tying up their hair.

“The reason we don’t tie up ladies’ hair (ourselves) is that at times it is inappropriate. So we leave that to the clients. We have had it in the past where fathers don’t like my staff tying up our younger clients’ hair,” Pool added.

Courtesy: India Today