Gabriela Rodríguez Tezoco, 18, dies after fall from pendulum ride at Cabo San Lucas fair; authorities investigate

An 18-year-old woman, Gabriela Rodríguez Tezoco, has died after falling from a moving amusement ride at a festival in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. State prosecutors in Baja California Sur have opened an investigation, and the ride has been seized and shut down.

The case has drawn attention well beyond Mexico, in part because Cabo San Lucas is a popular destination for American travelers and because it raises hard questions about ride safety at temporary fairs.

What happened?

Rodríguez Tezoco was riding an attraction called “El Péndulo” (“The Pendulum”) at the Cabo San Lucas Traditional Fiestas on the night of Tuesday, Oct. 20, according to reports from the Mexican outlet Expreso cited by The Washington Times and Fox News. She fell from her seat while the ride was in motion.

Emergency crews, state investigators and municipal police responded, and she was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where she died of her injuries, Fox News reported. The Los Cabos city council confirmed her death in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce that the young woman who was injured in the incident that occurred in the mechanical attractions area of the Cabo San Lucas Traditional Festivals… lost her life despite the efforts of the health personnel,” the council said, according to a translation published by Fox News.

Do investigators know what went wrong?

Not yet. The Baja California Sur State Attorney General’s Office (PGJE) said specialized experts “in architecture, engineering, and safety are conducting assessments to determine the probable causes of the malfunction or collapse, as well as to verify whether the required operational safety protocols were followed,” as translated by The Washington Times.

SDP Noticias reported that the ride and the surrounding area were secured so experts could prepare reports on the cause of the failure. Some Spanish-language reports, including El País of Cali, Colombia, based on videos shared on social media, said the restraint appeared to lift during the ride, but officials have not announced a cause.

As of midweek, authorities had not named the ride’s operators or made any arrests, Fox News reported.

What are officials doing now?

• Ride shut down: Los Cabos Mayor Christian Agúndez ordered the total suspension of “El Péndulo,” according to Fox News.
• Wider inspections: The mayor also ordered preventive safety checks of all other attractions at the fairground.
• Leadership change: Local officials removed the head of the municipal civil protection and risk management office and installed an interim director, so investigators have full access to files, safety protocols and permits, Fox News reported, citing Expreso.
• Support for the family: Agúndez urged the community to rally around her family and pledged municipal support.

Who was Gabriela Rodríguez Tezoco?

Rodríguez Tezoco was a 2026 high school graduate who had studied at the Colegio de Bachilleres of Baja California Sur, according to SDP Noticias and Fox News. Beyond that, little has been reported about her life, and her family has not made a public statement in the coverage reviewed here.

Our thoughts are with her family, friends and classmates.

FAQ