Strip club worker fired for posing as relative of teen who died on ride: report

A girl who had claimed to be the cousin of the 14-year-old boy who died after falling from a Florida amusement park experience shouldn't be associated to the household – and has been fired from a strip joint for her deception, in response to experiences.

The lady, who known as herself “Shay Johnson” in interviews with a number of information retailers, presupposed to be the cousin of Tyre Sampson, who died after slipping out of his seat on the FreeFall experience at ICON Park in Orlando.

She advised an area station that she wished the experience to be completely shut down as she collected signatures for a petition and led a vigil for the Missouri teen exterior the tragic attraction.

“We wish justice,” she mentioned, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

However doubts about her identification quickly emerged, resulting in investigations by the Sentinel and WFTV.

Her actual identify is Lewishena Lavonia Browning, 32, an Orlando resident with a prolonged rap sheet, the paper reported.

She has been fired from her gig at Flash Dancers, an grownup leisure membership within the metropolis, the outlet reported.

Shay Johnson holds signs under the ride where her cousin died at the Orlando Free Fall drop tower ride at ICON Park in Orlando on February 29, 2022.
Shay Johnson holds indicators underneath the experience the place her cousin died on the Orlando Free Fall drop tower experience at ICON Park in Orlando on February 29, 2022.
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel by way of AP

“I really feel horrible about it,” the jiggle joint’s proprietor William Sierer advised the Sentinel, saying the girl goes by “Shay” however that the membership has her actual identify on file.

He known as Browning’s actions “unconscionable.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace confirmed to the paper that detectives have “appeared into” the girl and that Tyre’s mom advised them “she doesn't know who Shay Johnson is.”

Shay Johnson receives a hug at a memorial site outside the Orlando Free Fall drop tower ride at ICON Park in Orlando on March 29, 2022.
Shay Johnson receives a hug at a memorial web site exterior the Orlando Free Fall drop tower experience at ICON Park in Orlando on March 29, 2022.
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel by way of AP

Company spokeswoman Michelle Guido mentioned investigators had no proof that any crimes had been dedicated.

Browning has a checkered previous, in response to the Sentinel, which has been unable to achieve her after the quantity she gave the outlet has been disconnected.

She is awaiting trial on felony arson and legal mischief costs for allegedly setting a automobile on fireplace in August, in response to court docket data cited by the paper.  

Shay Johnson was fired from the strip club after her boss said her action were "unconscionable."
Shay Johnson was fired from the strip membership after her boss mentioned her motion had been “unconscionable.”
Orange County Sheriff's Departme

Orlando police responded to an condominium advanced on Raleigh Road after getting a name from Browning’s ex-boyfriend, who mentioned he’d parked his girlfriend’s automobile within the car parking zone after which discovered it on fireplace, the Sentinel mentioned.

The person mentioned Browning was possible chargeable for torching the automobile as a result of they'd been “having ongoing issues” since breaking apart, in response to an affidavit cited by the paper.

Her ex additionally was listed because the sufferer in two different instances in opposition to Browning that concerned vandalism and legal mischief, the Sentinel added.

Browning claimed to police that she had been in Daytona Seaside on the evening of the hearth along with her mom and brother – however police Lt. Aaron Stover reportedly mentioned within the affidavit that a search of her cellphone discovered proof on the contrary.

She allegedly Googled the girlfriend’s deal with in addition to “what's the smartest thing to set a automobile on fireplace lighter fluid gasoline,” in response to the Sentinel, which reported that police discovered pictures of Browning’s “burnt and blistered” legs whereas handled at a hospital.

The lady reportedly claimed she was burned whereas crawling out of a burning automobile after a crash.

Browning has reportedly filed latest petitions in Orange County Circuit Court docket in opposition to her ex and his girlfriend, alleging repeat violence — and the couple accused her of the identical.

She has been jailed a number of instances in Orange County, together with on costs of home violence and driving with a suspended or revoked license, the Sentinel reported.

In April 2020. she supplied a false identify and ID to a police officer who pulled her over, in response to an arrest report cited by the paper.

Tyre Sampson
Shay Johnson claimed that she was the cousin of Tyre Sampson who tragically fell to his loss of life on an amusement park experience.
Fb/Vanessa Rivera

Throughout a vigil for Tyre on March 28, she claimed she had spoken to her cousin the day he died.

“He mentioned he wished to experience the swing on Worldwide,” she mentioned, figuring out herself as Shay Johnson, mynews13.com reported. “I mentioned, ‘OK. Experience it twice and experience it for me, too.’”

Browning additionally claimed she gave him cash for the rides.

Tyre Sampson moments before he plunged to his death on the Orlando Free Fall ride.
Tyre Sampson moments earlier than he plunged to his loss of life on the Orlando Free Fall experience.
Fb
Photo of Tyre Sampson at memorial
A photograph of Tyre Sampson rests at a memorial web site exterior the Orlando Free Fall drop tower experience at ICON Park in Orlando.
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel by way of AP

“So I went again to my job, and I acquired him some cash and I introduced him again out,” she advised reporters.

However Sierer, her boss at Flash Dancers, advised the outlet that she had by no means left work on the day of the tragedy – and in addition confirmed as much as work the subsequent two days with out saying something about her supposed cousin’s loss of life.

“We had been as stunned as anybody else,” Sierer advised mynews13.com.

The Orlando Free Fall drop tower in ICON Park where Tyre Sampson fell to his death.
The Orlando Free Fall drop tower in ICON Park the place Tyre Sampson fell to his loss of life.
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel by way of AP

“Once more, her working Thursday and Friday, then Saturday we see it on the information. We knew instantly it was fraudulent. … For her to go on nationwide TV and declare that she’s associated to somebody simply to raised herself, it simply crossed the road and I felt actually horrible for the household,” he mentioned.

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