Mom: Boy Sitting Still Before Fall

Victoria Zucker talked to investigators for the first time Tuesday, confirming her husband’s earlier statements that her son was sitting in his seat and behaving just before he fell out of his Disneyland ride car and was critically injured.

The mother, who previously had been too distraught to speak with investigators, was the only adult in the ride car with her two sons when 4-year-old Brandon Zucker fell out. Brandon’s father and grandmother were in the car behind them.

Brandon’s father, David, also talked to investigators Tuesday.

“We interviewed the parents,” said Richard Stephens, spokesman for the state division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is investigating the Sept. 22 incident. “This was a big milestone. It helps us move along, and wrap up the fact-finding phase of the investigation.”

Another agency official who was present at the meeting said Victoria Zucker confirmed her husband’s statements that Brandon was seated and behaving.

David Zucker previously had told Anaheim police that he saw his son hit the floor and then slip under the car that he and his mother, Brandon’s grandmother, were riding in.

David Zucker told police his son was not “standing or jumping around,” during the Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin ride and that he was dragged about 10 feet before the ride automatically shut down. The family was spending the day at Disneyland to celebrate Victoria Zucker’s 40th birthday.

Tuesday’s hourlong meeting was held at the family’s hotel near UCI Medical Center in Orange, where Brandon remains in critical condition. Thomas V. Girardi, a prominent Los Angeles attorney representing the Zuckers, attended the meeting but was unavailable later for comment.

A Disneyland spokesman declined to comment on the meeting, which did not include anyone representing the theme park.

The Roger Rabbit ride in Toontown remains closed. Neither Stephens nor Disneyland spokesman Ray Gomez would say on Tuesday when the attraction might reopen or whether Disneyland will make modifications to the 6-year-old ride.

“It’s still too early to speculate on what might come out of the investigation,” Gomez said.

Disneyland has been cooperating with state investigators, Stephens said.

The interview with the Zuckers on Tuesday did not change the scope or direction of the state investigation, Stephens said. While the agency is interested in what Brandon might have been doing immediately before he fell, that information is not critical to the investigation, Stephens said.

“We’re not looking at what any individuals might have been doing--other than the ride operators,” Stephens said. “The focus of our investigation in on the safety of the ride. We’re not looking to see if anyone did anything right or wrong, other than the ride operator--and that’s Disneyland.”

Times staff writer Jessica Garrison contributed to this report.