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Google PlayThe family of Tyre Sampson, the teen who fell to his death at an amusement park last week, say they’ve never met the woman who has repeatedly claimed to be his cousin.
According to the Sun Sentinel, Tyre’s mother told Florida authorities she doesn’t know who “Shay Johnson” is, nor does anyone else in her family. Authorities have since confirmed the woman’s real name is Lewishena Browning, a 32-year-old Orlando resident.
In the week since the 14-year-old’s death, Browning has spoken at vigils and demonstrations demanding justice for Tyre, who died after plummeting from the FreeFall ride at Orlando’s ICON Park on March 25. Browning has also given multiple media interviews in which she expressed heartache over the tragedy, and recalled a final conversation with the teen.
Browning told outlets that shortly after she dropped Tyre off at the amusement park, he called her and claimed he had been denied entry to a couple of rides because of his size. She said the teen, who stood 6’5” and weighed 340 lbs., was eventually allowed to get on the FreeFall—a drop tower with a 287-pound maximum weight limit for passengers.
Lewishena Browning went on to launch a petition calling for the permanent closure of the ride, as authorities continued to investigate the case.
Although Browning’s story has given her plenty of media attention, it doesn’t appear her claims resulted in any financial profits.
“[Tyre’s] mother told [detectives] she does not know who Shay Johnson is,” Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Michelle Guido told the Sun Sentinel. Guido confirmed authorities “looked into” Johnson but determined there was “no evidence of a crime.”
Browning reportedly worked as an entertainer at Flash Dancer’s Bar in Orlando. The venue’s owner confirmed he had terminated the woman after learning about about her deception. Though employment documents identified her as Browning, her former boss claimed she had gone by “Shay.”
According to the Sun Sentinel, Browning was previously taken into custody at least four times in Orange County. Her charges included domestic violence as well as driving with a revoked or suspended license.
And she wasn’t the only one who took advantage of Sampson’s death. Fox 35 reports GoFundMe has removed multiple bogus accounts seeking money for the teen’s funeral services.
“Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragedy. Immediately following the news reports, our Trust and Safety team began monitoring the platform and removing any fundraisers not authorized by the family of Tyre Sampson,” GoFundMe said in a statement to the network. “I can confirm that all fundraisers without a clear connection to the family were removed, and any donors have been refunded.”
