Students at Hanks High School remember teen killed at carnival

Students at Hanks High School tell ABC-7 they’re in shock, after learning their fellow classmate, Samantha Aguilar, was killed after being thrown off a carnival ride Friday.

“She just always had a smile on her face,”Savanah Medina, a junior at Hanks High School, said.”Like there was never a time where she was in a bad mood or grumpy or sad. She just always had a smile on her face.”

Those who knew Samantha Aguilar describe her as sweet, caring and smart. The 16-year-old was on the track and field team, and top 10% of her class, according to YISD.

“She was a really smart girl that helped anybody that needed help in the class,” juniorTaylor Quintanasaid.

Aguilar died after being thrown out of a carnival ride called the “Sizzler” Friday night. The carnival was at Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Parishioners tell ABC-7 they’re devastated a tragedy happened right outside their house of worship.

Officials say rides must be inspected daily by the owner and operator. El Paso Police tell ABC-7 the company who owns the rides, Playtime Amusement Inc, is fully cooperating with the investigation. The company has not answered any phone calls from ABC-7. Our crews spotted an employee taking down one of the rides at the carnival on Sunday, but he refused to comment.

Three girls were on the ride at the time of the incident. It’s still unclear what happened, but Aguilar was thrown out of her seat and slammed into a metal barrier. She later died at the hospital. The other teens were not seriously injured.

“I was just really shocked because out of all the people it turned out being someone so sweet and caring,” Quintana said. “I didn’t think it should’ve been her to be taken because she helped everybody; she had a purpose in the world.”