Mother calls for ride safety after daughter’s scare at Carolina Beach Boardwalk

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — On Sunday last week, Billie Paige of Leland wrote in a Facebook post on a Carolina Beach community page that while visiting the boardwalk, her 4-year-old daughter Autumn was about to go on a ride named the “Wiggle Worm.”  

But before her daughter could get on the ride, Paige said the ride started while her daughter was standing on the outside platform, just feet away from the moving ride. Paige recalled the moment as one she will never forget. 

“All I remember is I’m screaming at the top of my lungs to grab the gate while this ride is spinning around with a 4-year-old screaming, me trying not to vomit looking at this person like ‘what are you doing,’” Paige said. 

Paige added that in a response from the company who operates the rides—Hildebrand Amusement Rides—she said she was told the issue was user error. 

“The ride establishment actually went as far as to say ‘this individual was not trained, they were supposed to be trained two days ago,’” Paige noted. 

Now, Paige hopes the rides will continue to bring joy to families, but only with accountability. 

“I would like to see the state come in and really do a complete overhaul and inspection of all of the rides,” Paige said. “I would love to see some sort of preventative training plan put in place, and really, I would like to see it published to the public.” 

WWAY reached out to Hildebrand Amusement Rides. The company said they are thankful the child was not harmed, and that the situation is under an active investigation.