US waterpark attraction accused of fat-shaming 13-year-old girl

Teenager turned away from water slide for being over weight limit

A water slide similar to the on the 13-year-old was denied access to (Getty Images)

A father in the American state of Ilinois has accused a waterpark attraction of fat-shaming his 13-year-old daughter by denying her access to a water slide.

Andrew Batton wrote in a Facebook post that he took his family to Raging Rivers Waterpark in Grafton, IL, in order to try out a new water slide.

When his teenage daugher arrived at the top of the Mississippi Monster Slide with a friend, however, she was subjected to “public humiliation”, alleged Mr Batton, and asked to stand on a set of scales because the slide had weight limit of 200lbs (90.7kg).

“She steps on the scale and she’s 205,” Mr Batton told Missouri TV station KMOV.

Over the weight limit by 5lbs, the girl was turned away from the slide, her “eyes welling up with tears”, claimed her father.

In his Facebook post, Batton wrote that there had been no indication of a weight limit for the slide before that point and that the park employee was “extremely upset as well and explained that this scene had been playing out all day and many people had been upset/surprised by the restriction”.

A spokesperson for Raging Rivers told KMOV that: "Our goal is never to embarrass anyone, but we must look out for their safety while visiting Raging Rivers. Raging Rivers takes an abundance of precautions to ensure the safety of our guests while enjoying our slides and attractions.

"The new Mississippi Monster Slide has a max weight of 200lbs per rider. Signage is located at the base of the slide, alerting guests of this restriction. In addition, there is a scale that all guests who choose to ride the attraction must step on to ensure they meet the safety requirements for the ride.

"We will continue to follow manufacturer guidelines for safety while offering our guests a fun experience at Raging Rivers Waterpark."

The spokesperson added that new parts had been ordered so that the slide’s weight capacity can be increased.