The killer whale snatched the 40-year-old trainer from a poolside platform in its jaws and thrashed her around underwater, killing her in front of a horrified audience Feb. 24. The gory details of Dawn Brancheau's death in the jaws of a killer whale are not for the faint of heart. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in psychology and animal behavior. [59] When the alarm sounded, one of SeaWorld's surveillance videos focused on the pool captured Brancheau, 40, as she briefly broke free from the killer whale. Thirty minutes later, and after being isolated in a special medical pool with a hydraulic base, Dawn was finally freed from Tilikum, the largest orca in captivity and the animal she had worked with for 16 years. He was swimming manically, only coming to the surface long enough to breathe before diving again. Dukes. Tilikum finally found freedom from his notoriety - and the mundaneness of his daily life - when he died in January 2017. Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. But the autopsy report has been released today, and it makes it very clear that Dawn Brancheaus last moments were filled with tremendous suffering. Lets face it, in these types of incidents, I dont recall any whale responding to any hand slap, food bucket, or any other distraction we tried to implement.. Meanwhile, six years after the tragedy SeaWorld announced it was ending its programme of breeding the orcas in captivity. [4]:347[5][11], In 2000, she appeared on NBC affiliate WESH and talked about staying physically fit in order to deal with the intense rigor of working with orcas. [40] Given the court rulings, even after 2010, although water work during shows stopped, SeaWorld trainers still entered the water with orcas during "safety desensitization training" and for other care. , swim rapidly, and grab at one of the trainers arms. You'll have to find the ghoul in under 11 seconds, so can you do it? 7 [21][22] The orca's move seems to have been very quick, pulling her underwater and drowning her. Dawn, an experienced SeaWorld trainer, died of 'drowning and traumatic injuries' after she was mauled by Tilikum, a 5.4 tonne orca measuring more than 22ft in length. To help all animals held captive by SeaWorld, please never buy a ticket, visit the parks, or support SeaWorld in any other way, and urge the marine park to stop forcibly breeding other dolphins! In 2010, when SeaWorld animal trainer Dawn Therese Brancheau was attacked and killed by an orca, her family invoked the law to prevent release of videos of the attack. The six-page report reveals that Brancheaus left arm and part of her scalp were ripped off. Much about Brancheau's last moments was known. By 13:43 Tilikum was seen swimming with her lifeless body in his mouth. Maybe nottrainers were expected to continue performances, regardless of any signs that an orca might act out. Something went wrong, please try again later. The autopsy determined that Dawn Brancheau died of blunt force trauma to the head, neck and torso, and drowning when the giant orca yanked her into SeaWorld's pool Feb. 24. Even if Brancheau had spotted signs that Tilikum might act aggressively, would SeaWorlds star performer have done anything differently? without her left arm or part of her scalp, among other injuries, Former SeaWorld trainer Jeffrey Ventre blamed Tilikum for Brancheaus death, her clothing and left bite marks and bruises on her skin. Hence, she earned degrees in psychology and animal behavior from the 'University of South Carolina.' [12][55], After its release in 2013, the film awakened a national dialogue about the issue. It is still not known what triggered Tilikum to attack that day. One of her SeaWorld colleagues is certain she "loved" the 12,000-pound orca and that he loved her back. In the OCSO Investigative Report, witnesses said that at first she was "scrambling" to get out of the pool, but within seconds Tilikum struck her, at least one time impacting Brancheau "squarely in the chest." [5] As a senior trainer, she appeared in various SeaWorld public performances for many years. Some people questioned if he had mistaken her ponytail for a toy. Want all the latest shocking news and views from all over the world straight into your inbox? And why did SeaWorld continue to rely on those failed measures? Espaol; Franais; OBITUARY Dawn Therese Brancheau April 16, 1969 - February 24, 2010. Actress: Animal Action. She tried to swim to the surface, but the killer whale repeatedly struck her. The medical examiner reports that no drugs or alcohol were found in Dukes' system. Cloud, FL, formerly of Cedar Lake, IN, passed away February 24, 2010 doing what she loved. In this setting, guests ate at an open-air restaurant while watching the performance poolside as the orca performed and was fed. "Catastrophic" injuries sustained in the fatal attack were laid bare. [44], Although Brancheau's widower, Scott Brancheau, hired a Chicago law firm that specializes in wrongful-death litigation, he has not taken any legal action against SeaWorld. That Topoleski told investigators trainers moved Tilikum into three different pools in their attempt to free Brancheau, but the orca would not release her. Her spinal cord was severed, and she had sustained fractures to her jawbone, ribs, and a cervical vertebra. Other witnesses claimed they saw Tilikum "hit her" as she tried to escape, and that at points he was carrying her around by her arm, and torso. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, "Read family-written obituary of Dawn Brancheau, SeaWorld trainer killed by killer whale", "Family, friends remember light that SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau provided", "Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission OSHRC, Docket No. [15][16] In April 2014, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a "petition for review",[16][29][30] with later Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh being the sole judge to side with SeaWorld. Twenty minutes later, her body was retrieved from the pool. Topoleski was one of 44 witnesses who talked with Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators who looked into how and why the orca, Tilikum, killed Brancheau after she was yanked into the water Feb. 24 shortly after a Dine With Shamu show. SeaWorld has removed Tilikum from its shows and prohibited trainers from swimming with any of its orcas while it conducts a safety review. And I didnt know about any of them until after I left SeaWorld. The cause of death was listed as drowning and traumatic injuries that the 23-foot-long killer whale caused on Brancheau's 5'7, 123-pound frame. And the most important thing that anyone can do to help imprisoned animals is to refuse to patronize marine or other abusement parks. Her hair and skin were recovered from the bottom of the pool. Trainer Dawn Brancheau died of blunt force trauma to head, neck and torso. During a well-rehearsed public performance in front of hundreds of people, including young children, Tilikum inexplicably turned on his trainer, killing her in a particularly brutal and prolonged attack. I do believe that he loved her, and I know that she loved him.". Current subscribers: You will continue to receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Dukes reportedly got past security at SeaWorld, remaining in the park after it had closed. Dawn Brancheau was declared dead shortly after the show, but still SeaWorld claims no responsibility for the vicious attack. PETA Leads the Charge: Inside the Global Effort to Take Down Exotic Skins, Challenge of Monterey Zoos Alleged Violation of Californias Bullhook Ban to Proceed, Step Away From the Birkin Bag! CLOUDE, FL FORMERLY OF CEDAR LAKE Dawn Therese Brancheau (nee Lo Verde), 40, of St. [6]:7[27] Immediately afterwards, SeaWorld disallowed trainers from being in the water with any orca. Her grisly death, which happened during a Dine With Shamu show at the park in Orlando, Florida, was caught on camera as tourists were filming the spectacle, expecting to see tricks. It ended with the violent death of 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau, who worked there for 15 years. WARNING: Graphic content. [48] Cowperthwaite's background research suggested to her that there were problems with keeping captive orcas; SeaWorld disagreed, characterizing the film as propaganda. It does work. Some witness said he shook her "violently"on occasion. To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. The 40-year-old trainer was at ease with the killer whale and had just petted him on the nose. The body of Daniel Dukes, 27, was found naked and draped across the giant whale's body in July 1999. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This was cause enough for him to turn around to push the alarm button. Tilikum continues to live in the park's seven-tank orca complex and learns new behaviors now that trainers don't get close to him. Investigators have said that the 40-year-old trainer died from multiple traumatic injuries and drowning. The gory details of Dawn Brancheaus death are further evidence that animals who are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them throughout their entire miserable lives in sea parks, circuses, and zoos around the world will continue to attack and kill people whom they see as having a role in the denial of their freedom and family connections. Welsch did, however, agree that the fine classification was too severe and had it downgraded from "willful" (total of $75,000 for the 2 citations) to "serious" (total of $12,000) stating that the company had emphasized trainer safety, even if the safety procedures weren't effective. She was cautious and always abided by the park's "safety" guidelines when she was around the orcas. The police report also states that SeaWorld employees had to dive to the bottom of the pool to retrieve her scalp. As if the incident itself wasn't harrowing enough, an autopsy report revealed Dawn, who had always dreamed of working with killer whales, suffered greatly in the beast's jaws. Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. SeaWorld issued a statement that called OSHA's findings "unfounded". Terms for automated texts/calls from PETA: http://peta.vg/txt. [58], In 2011, Florida passed Statute 406.136, which provides for confidentiality of media obtained by public agencies that depicts or records the killing of a person. "I truly believe he looked at Dawn as an object, a toy," he said. Also among Wednesday's revelations was a brief account of how much SeaWorld treasured Brancheau. Delivering what was perhaps the most horrific detail of all, the report told how Dawn arrived at the morgue in two parts - her battered, broken body totally disconnected from her scalp. She added that from her viewpoint, he never let Dawn come to the surface, despite the petite trainer at one point appearing to do her best to escape his jaws, and frantically swimming up for air. When he turned back, his colleague was gone. She also dislocated her left elbow and left ear. Subscribe for new episodes. Below the surface, terrified tourists and staffers were witnessing the final moments of Dawn Brancheau. Through the reinforced glass, Dawn's peril played out like a real time horror film as the 5.4 tonne whale began to drown her. Dawn Therese Brancheau, nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. She had always had a huge love of animals and set her heart on becoming a trainer at Seaworld . Her left elbow and left knee were dislocated. And she drowned. [47][55][56] SeaWorld transitioned to being a publicly traded company in 2013. The autopsy was released as SeaWorld and Brancheau's family await a court ruling on their request to keep private a video of the fatal attack. SeaWorld Orlando spokeswoman Becca Bides said the park did not have any comment on the autopsy. Her body was placed under a black sheet five feet away from the wall of 'D' pool. [33] SeaWorld discontinued water work at its three parks for about a week immediately after Martnez's death. [25], Brancheau was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois. IN THE CARE OF. "He had a great relationship with her, and she had a great relationship with him. In 2010, she was tragically killed by Tilikum, the largest Killer Whale held in captivity. SeaWorld wasnt even willing to put the life of its own star trainer before profit, so why should anyone trust that it would ever put the well-being of its captive animals first? A report into Dawn's death by the Sheriff's Office refers to an . Brancheau suffered a fracture to part of her vertebra and lower jaw, according to the autopsy. In the same statement, they went on to note that Dawn would not have remained a trainer at SeaWorld for 15 years if she felt that the whales were not well cared for.[49], Brancheau's death has been seen as a factor in starting a trajectory of recalibration for SeaWorld. This was a brutal end to a womans life who had dreamt of working closely with marine mammals as a SeaWorld trainer, ever since she saw the Shamu show as a child. [12] SeaWorld struggled with the effect of Blackfish on public perception,[46][50] and there were some cancellations by music performers who had planned to hold shows at SeaWorld. In this case he seemed to hold on to Brancheau as if she were his possession, by one witness account. She was cautious and always abided by the parks safety guidelines when she was around the orcas. The orca's was so violent with Brancheau that part of her scalp was "forcibly torn from the head," the autopsy said. The cause of death was listed as drowning and traumatic injuries that the 23-foot-long killer whale caused on Brancheaus 57, 123-pound frame. Unless a judge intervenes, the material will become public under Florida law once the Orange County Sheriff's Office concludes its investigation. At just 2 years old, he was torn from his mother and their ocean home and sent to the rundown marine park Sealand of the Pacific. The effect the 23-foot-long killer whale had on the 5'7, 123 pound trainer was fully detailed in her autopsy report. New in the final report was: A synopsis of a 24-minute surveillance video, which began at 1:37 p.m., about one minute before the orca grabbed Brancheau. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? READ MORE, Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind. [3][17][18][19] According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office Investigative Report on the terrifying incident, trainers were not allowed in the water with Tilikum because of his past history he had already killed two people at other marine parks when they ended up in the pool with him, per Whale Sanctuary Project. [14] She ran marathons, cycled, and lifted weights to stay in good shape. Dawn Brancheau developed a "close bond" with a SeaWorld orca called Tilikum. Her scalp was completely torn off from her head, and her left elbow and left knee had been dislocated. In addition, she had scrapes on her right ear. SeaWorld successfully challenged the report, which OSHA agreed to withdraw. BRANCHEAU Dawn Therese nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. Food was withheld from him as a training technique, and he endured attacks from the two dominant female orcas, whom he was forced to live with. The autopsy report said that Brancheau died from drowning and blunt force trauma. Dawn, an experienced SeaWorld trainer, died of 'drowning and traumatic injuries'. When SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau was pulled into a swim tank by an orca named Tilikum at the tail end of a performance on February 24, 2010, the other trainers immediately knew the situation was very bad. Something went wrong, please try again later. [48], Her family has said they are grateful that the film has brought attention to the issue of animal welfare. She was the youngest of six children and always had a love for animals. A Death Has Occurred or is Near . [4], Brancheau spent two years working with dolphins at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey before beginning her career at SeaWorld Orlando in 1994, initially working with otters and sea lions. [4][6][7] She was killed by an orca, Tilikum. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Here's why", "The Dawn Brancheau Foundation: 6 years after her death", "Dawn Brancheau Foundation | Helping Children and Animals", The Dawn Brancheau Foundation official website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dawn_Brancheau&oldid=1139241330, Deaths due to animal attacks in the United States, Burials at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (Alsip, Illinois), Articles with dead external links from November 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from November 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 03:07. [35][36] OSHA maintained that SeaWorld "willfully" endangered its employees and stated that the company "(shows) Plain indifference to, or intentional disregard for, employee safety and health." The cause of death was officially recorded as "drowning and traumatic injuries" after blunt force trauma. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Tilikum, now 28, had already been responsible for the deaths of two people since he was captured as a two-year-old whale, so no trainers were allowed to swim with him as he was considered so dangerous. Cloud, FL . The incident was documented in the 2013 film Blackfish. Next, she claimed he "looped around and came back towards Dawn Brancheau with his mouth open". 12-1375 SeaWorld of Florida, LLC, Petitioner v. Thomas E. Perez, Secretary, United States Department of Labor", "SeaWorld trainer killed by killer whale", "Killer whale Tilikum to be spared after drowning trainer by ponytail", "Sea World trainer killed: Shamu Believe show resumes with standing ovation", "30-minute nightmare in orca's death grip", "Tilikum is dead, but his story lives on", "SeaWorld trainer 'dragged to death by her long hair', "New details emerge in death of SeaWorld Orlando trainer in orca incident", "Hundreds Turn Out for SeaWorld Trainer's Funeral", "SeaWorld fights fine over trainer's death", "SeaWorld appeal of OSHA citations denied", "SeaWorld won't appeal ruling pulling trainers from water at killer whale shows", "SeaWorld's whale pool is no place for trainers", "Sea World Just Took a Blow That Will Change the Controversial Company Forever", "Exclusive: SeaWorld Appeals Ruling in Trainer's Death as Eyewitness Interviews Are Released", "OSHA fines SeaWorld for worker safety issues following orca trainer's death", "SeaWorld-OSHA hearing in recess until mid-November", "SeaWorld Will Fight $75k Fine in Trainer Dawn Brancheau's Death", "SeaWorld OSHA ruling: Judge rules SeaWorld killer-whale trainers must be protected by physical barriers", "Killer whales: Court weighs lifting ban on trainer-orca contact", "What the case of a killer whale tells us about Brett Kavanaugh", "SCOTUS Nominee Kavanaugh Backed SeaWorld in Case Involving 2010 Trainer Death", "Years of troubled waters for SeaWorld's killer whale shows", "SeaWorld trainer's family hires lawyers", "After SeaWorld, a 'Blackfish effect' on circuses and zoos? [45], Brancheau's death is a focus of the documentary Blackfish,[46][47] which criticizes keeping orcas in captivity,[48] and her death awakened a national conversation about the issue. As the emergency siren echoed through the enormous marine park, employees raced to the pool and tried to corral the agitated creature with nets, throwing food into the pool in an attempt to distract him. [8], Subsequently, in late May 2012, Judge Ken S. Welsch formally sided with OSHA over SeaWorld's orca safety practices. Regarded as one of the world's top killer whale trainers, she was working with the 12,500lb sea creature when it grabbed her. Cloud, FL, formerly of Cedar Lake, IN, passed away February 24, 2010 doing what she loved. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. A police report written after the horrifying incident in February 2010 paints a truly harrowing picture. ", "SeaWorld to Stop Breeding Orcas, Making Them Perform Tricks", "Sundance Interview: 'Blackfish' Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite Discusses Suffering Orcas, Trainer Death, and Why SeaWorld Hasn't Seen the Movie", "Family of Dawn Brancheau chastises 'Blackfish', "SeaWorld phasing out killer whale breeding", "SeaWorld shocker bad for species preservation", "SeaWorld: 'Blackfish' is propaganda, not documentary", "Public Offering Values SeaWorld at $2.5 Billion", "SeaWorld CEO: We're ending our orca breeding program. The autopsy report said that Brancheau died from drowning and blunt force trauma. Tilikum remains at SeaWorld Orlando. tilikum kills dawn autopsy photos. "[8], Welsch made it clear that his ruling only applies "to the work trainers do during shows and not at other times, such as during medical procedures or 'relationship-building' sessions As a custodian SeaWorld has an ethical duty to provide for the whales' needs husbandry activities require a certain amount of contact between the trainers and whales unlike performances, which can successfully continue without the trainers in the water." [15][41] In 2012, a special Labor Department commission declined to hear the case. He added that he believed that she had a broken neck. [61] The foundation is "dedicated to improving the lives of children and animals in need, inspiring others to follow their dreams, and promoting the importance of community service".[62]. An attorney for Brancheau's family, Jon Mills, argued that the family's right to privacy outweighed the public's right to view the video. The New York Times reported that Tilikum died of a bacterial infection on January 6, 2017. Henry Pierson Curtis can be reached at hcurtis@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5257.MORE ON THIS STORY 1991: Bringing killer whale to SeaWorld Orlando after death of trainer in Canada stirred debate in D.C. 1999: Nude man found dead on back of killer whale 1999: Parents of nude man drop lawsuit 2005: Killer whale jolts trainer Inside the brain of a killer whale: How smart are killer whales and can they decide to kill a person? SeaWorld looked at rising pool floors and "spare air" systems in an attempt to get their staff back in the water during shows. In response, SeaWorlds vice president for animal training criticized their actions in a two-page document claiming that the show should not have been ended early because it brought unnecessary attention to the incident. Her liver had been torn, while her scalp and left arm were ripped off pieces of her body that the workers had to retrieve from the tank after extracting her from the orcas mouth. [18][19][20] The incident was caught on film. But during one well practised segment, where she lay down to kiss the huge 30-year-old mammal, he grabbed her, dragging her in to the pool and under the water. Amy L. Edwards can be reached at aledwards@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5735.