Rollercoaster victim Shylah Rodden has made what her family describes as a “miraculous” recovery less than two years after the horrific accident that shocked the world.
In a photograph published in Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Ms Rodden can be seen beaming with a smile on her face as she takes a photo of herself out to a cafe.
Ms Rodden, then 26, suffered serious injuries after being hit by the Rebel Coaster as she walked onto the tracks to retrieve her phone at the Melbourne Royal Show.
Shocking images of the incident were later posted on social media and became global news.
In another image posted by Ms Rodden’s family, she is seen fighting for her life in hospital in the days following the incident in September 2022.
The disturbing photograph shows Ms Rodden wearing a neck brace and with a tube placed down her throat.
Several wounds are also visible on his face, including a black eye and a large cut on his forehead.
The photos were published a day after Daily Mail Australia revealed that WorkSafe Victoria had decided not to pursue charges against the ride operator or the Melbourne Royal Show.
Shylah Rodden has made what her family claims is nothing short of a miraculous recovery.
Shylah Rodden pictured shortly after the roller coaster accident that should have cost her life
Rodden’s mother, Kylie Rodden, said her daughter could walk and talk, but remained blind in her right eye and deaf in her left ear.
“He has made progress, but he still has a long way to go,” he said. Herald of the Sun.
‘Sometimes he needs the support of a walker and a wheelchair, he can only walk for a limited time before having to rest.’
WorkSafe’s decision came as a shock to Ms Rodden’s grieving family, who were notified of the decision by letter.
“I don’t know what happened, I haven’t seen any reports, so I’m not at peace with it,” Rodden said.
Arnold Thomas & Becker lawyer Sharlene Mehta, who represents Ms Rodden’s family, told Daily Mail Australia they were “understandably disappointed” to hear the WorkSafe investigation had been closed.
“At this stage we have only received a letter from WorkSafe advising us that their investigations are complete and that they have decided not to pursue proceedings against the tour operator,” Mehta said in a statement on Tuesday.
Ms Rodden’s family remains in the dark about the decisions that led to the nearly two-year investigation yielding no results.
“We have not received a copy of the WorkSafe report so we have no knowledge of what their investigations covered or who was interviewed as part of their investigations,” Ms Mehta said.
Shylah Rodden was seriously injured in the tragic accident in September 2022.
The scars from Shylah Rodden’s accident are still visible today
Horrific footage shows Shylah Rodden (pictured in black) moments before she was hit by the Rebel rollercoaster at the Melbourne Royal show
It was further revealed that WorkSafe did not interview Ms Rodden or any of her family members in relation to the incident.
“We have requested a copy of the findings of the investigation, but it will take six to eight months to receive it. Till then, we have little information about its findings,” Mehta said.
‘The letter our client received outlined the option to request that WorkSafe reconsider its decision and conduct a further investigation.
“No further information has been provided. Once we have received a copy of WorkSafe’s findings, we will decide whether we wish to make such a request to WorkSafe.”
Ms Mehta said that while the incident had a far-reaching impact on Ms Rodden, her hopes for the future remained positive.
“While her recovery has been miraculous, Shylah’s injuries will have lifelong consequences,” he said.
It is understood that WorkSafe’s decision was left to lawyers assessing whether the charges could be successfully prosecuted in court.
Decisions on whether or not to pursue criminal proceedings are made and authorised by WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, under delegated powers, and with information obtained through legal advice.
The Royal Melbourne Show declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
Shylah Rodden (pictured) suffered “life-changing” injuries after being hit by the rollercoaster.
Sources told Daily Mail Australia that Worksafe officers carried out a thorough investigation into the incident.
Much of that research focused on establishing if any obligation arising from the Occupational Health and Safety Act had been breached.
“Enforcement decisions must take into account WorkSafe’s General Prosecution Guidelines, which require consideration of the evidence available, the particular elements that must be proven for a prosecution to be successful and the burden of proof that applies in criminal proceedings,” said a source close to the investigation.
It is understood that WorkSafe’s investigation did not find sufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt any breach of the OHS Act.
Ms Rodden faces years of rehabilitation after suffering a massive brain injury when she was thrown nine metres into the air by the fast-moving ride.
She was run over while trying to retrieve a mobile phone that she dropped on the tracks.
Under Victorian law, WorkSafe has two years to bring charges against companies and individuals it believes have breached the state’s tough employment laws.
Although the results of the toxicology report at the time of the accident were never made public, police sources suggested that Ms Rodden may have been under the influence of some form of medication.
Shylah Rodden faces a long battle to recover after being hit by a roller coaster in September 2022
A Melbourne Royal Show spokeswoman said: “The safety and wellbeing of our show visitors remains our number one priority” (pictured: Royal Melbourne Show)
Another informed source said whatever prompted Ms Rodden to jump onto the tracks was not a concern of the safety watchdog, which was focused solely on whether precautions had been taken and were being followed.
It is understood the WorkSafe investigation focused on what the ride’s operators were doing when she entered the tracks.
“Their toxicity levels are not relevant to the investigation into whether the person responsible for the work was doing everything reasonably possible to provide a safe and healthy workplace,” the source said.
A WorkSafe inspection concluded it was “safe” to reopen the Rebel Coaster just days after the accident.
A spokeswoman for the show, who asked not to be identified, defended its safety procedures at the time of the incident.
“The safety and well-being of our show guests remains our number one priority,” it said in a statement at the time.
‘Strict safety protocols are in place in accordance with Victoria’s WorkSafe regulations. All attractions on site have undergone strict compliance inspections and have passed all required safety documentation.’
Ms Rodden’s discharge from hospital in January last year and move to her family home in Craigieburn was seen as a significant step in her long road to recovery.
However, a spokesman for his legal team said in January of that year that Rodden would never fully recover.
“While this indicates that his condition has stabilised, the injuries he has sustained remain life-changing,” it said at the time.
Her father, Alan Rodden, told the Daily Mail Australia shortly after the incident that his daughter had suffered life-changing injuries.
“I can’t talk to my daughter. She’s going to be in a coma for quite a while,” he said.
‘The injuries are horrible. Horrible. He has brain damage. His pelvis, his arms, his legs, his back, his neck – there’s hardly anything that isn’t broken. I can’t understand how on earth he’s done so much damage.’
“Even doctors say they haven’t seen anything this serious for a long time.”
On the day she was hit by the rollercoaster, Ms Rodden was working at a friend’s stall at the Melbourne Royal Show.
The couple was on vacation when they decided to take some walks to kill time.
She is known to have dropped her phone while on the rollercoaster and police believe she walked onto the tracks of the high-speed ride to retrieve the device.
Shocking footage of the incident was shared on TikTok just days after it happened.