GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) – The mother and sister of a teenager who died in a tragic accident at Frankie's Fun Park in Greenville are speaking out.
“We just want answers to what happened,” said Deldras Sewell, Seveion’s mother. “We just want to know because we're still trying to understand it. What happened?”
On December 27, 17-year-old Seveion Sewell was driving a go-kart when it collided with an industrial forklift. He died of a severe head injury.
His mother says he was supposed to have the day off but still wanted to work.
Seveion was considered hardworking and even worked two jobs at the same time to save for his first car. Deldras says her son wanted to work
Deldras said she was at the DMV before learning of her son's death through a text message from a friend. She picked up his trailer for a car he had just purchased after saving thousands of dollars himself.
She describes her son as friendly, hardworking and an overall good person. Deldras says Seveion was loved by many and had no idea the impact he had left on the community.
I just wish I had more time with him so I could just hug him and tell him how proud I am of him. I will never do that [another] Chance to just love him. This is just very difficult. I'm just sorry I couldn't tell him because I didn't know these things about my son. I just miss him so much. I just wait for him to come upstairs every morning and he's not there.
Seveion's oldest sister, Shamirra Thomas, says Dec. 27 is the day her life changed forever.
Since the accident, Frankie's Fun Park has reached out to Deldras.
The South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the fatal accident.
The family and their attorney, Ryan James, still have unanswered questions. James says: “It is abundantly clear that not all steps have been taken to ensure the safety of Seveion and the safety of others.”
According to OSHA standards, certain certifications are required to operate a forklift. This is no coincidence. This is intentional. The idea is to prevent such things from happening. When they happen, the question naturally arises: How? In addition to the requirements, it simply depends on sensitivity. I mean, you have a 17-year-old kid on a race track, on a go-kart, where there are certain speeds associated with these machines. They should do more to protect the employees of this park.
James says no lawsuit has been filed yet because work is ongoing to get more details and allow authorities to continue their investigation.
Sewell is survived by his parents, two sisters, a brother and a stepbrother. He was a junior at Fountain Inn High School.
James announced on December 31 that Sewell's funeral would be held at Rock of Ages Baptist Church on Saturday, January 11 at 2 p.m.
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