Christopher Hawley's family says they immediately knew something was wrong when the 22-year-old got off the X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain ... and by the next day, he was dead.
Christopher's mom, Anne, and his brother, Alex, joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday to describe those tragic moments.
Alex tells us his brother was "red" and "distressed" when he got off the ride in June 2022 ... saying their cousin had to keep Christopher's head from hitting the concrete when he collapsed.
A popular Six Flags roller coaster linked to two deaths and recent traumatic brain injuries in California is being grounded.
A new CNN investigation reviewed records tied to the X2 coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia and found more than a dozen riders suffered serious injuries or hospitalizations over the years ... including multiple brain injuries.
Two women were hospitalized just six days apart in July after riding X2 -- and both needed emergency brain surgery.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being accused of lying to the United States Senate ... because, while he said during his confirmation hearing his trip to Samoa wasn't about vaccines, letters he apparently wrote appear to say otherwise.
Here's the deal ... the Guardian and the Associated Press obtained letters RFK Jr. wrote to Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi -- the then-Prime Minister of Samoa -- in 2019 on behalf of the Children's Health Defense, the anti-vax organization RFK Jr. was part of.
In one letter to the PM, RFK Jr. mentioned vaccines eight times, including writing that he wanted to study "deaths associated with MMR vaccine" in the country and offering to perform a "detailed health informatics assessment" in Samoa about what happened with the MMR vaccine, which killed two kids. Improperly mixed doses were administered, and two nurses later pled guilty to manslaughter.
This wouldn't necessarily be an issue ... except during RFK Jr.'s Senate Confirmation Hearings to become the Secretary of Health and Human Services, he repeatedly denied his trip had anything to do with vaccines.
The New York State Department of Health says it is taking a closer look at allegations involving doctors connected to Jeffrey Epstein, telling us the claims raised in recent media reports are "deeply troubling" and warrant review.
A spokesperson for the New York State Department of Health tells TMZ the agency cannot discuss details of ongoing investigations but says officials are taking the allegations seriously.
The spokesperson added that the department "condemns any abuse by medical staff and any abuse of a physician's role that undermines patient trust and safety, including any predatory or unlawful behavior."
A gaudy Palm Springs pool party went from bottles popping to bottles flying ... leaving nine people injured and seven rushed to the emergency room after The Chainsmokers played a set.
The chaos erupted early Sunday during Splash House's "After Hours" event at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Palm Springs Police say officers working the festival were alerted to an assault around 1:37 AM ... after a dispute broke out and escalated into bottles being hurled into the crowd.
Police say nine partygoers who had nothing to do with the original altercation were injured ... with some getting cut by broken glass.
Universal Studios Hollywood guests are being urged to check their vaccination status after a person infected with measles visited the theme park last month ... potentially putting others at risk.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says the infected visitor was at Universal on July 26. Anyone who was inside the park from 10 AM to 9 PM that day is being advised to make sure they’re protected and watch closely for possible symptoms through August 16.
A Universal Studios Hollywood spokesperson tells TMZ ... "The safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority. We were recently made aware that a guest with a confirmed case of measles visited Los Angeles County, including our theme park, on July 26, 2026. We are working with the Department of Public Health and are following their guidance."
Dr. Anthony Fauci's Capitol Hill headaches are piling up ... the Senate Homeland Security Committee voted Thursday to hold him in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions last week -- pleading the Fifth 111 times.
The 8-5 party-line vote tees up a potential criminal referral to the DOJ for allegedly blowing off a congressional subpoena ... but it would need 60 votes in the full Senate, making that a long shot.
Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul -- who's been leading the charge against Fauci -- said Thursday the contempt vote isn't about Fauci's pandemic policies or opinions ... it's about his refusal to answer questions after Paul ordered him to do so.
Nicki Minaj may sing about starships ... but when it comes to real science, D.L. Hughley says she's better off trusting Dr. Anthony Fauci -- and taking a look at the president she supports instead.
We got the comedian at Cedric the Entertainer's 13th annual celebrity golf tournament on Monday ... and we had to ask about Nicki roasting Dr. Fauci for his role in the Covid-19 pandemic.
D.L. says Nicki shouldn't go after the dude who tried to inject some scientific method into America's COVID response ... specifically mentioning when President Donald Trump said the virus could be cured by injecting disinfectant into our veins.
The MDHHS updated their case numbers Monday, listing that there have been 2 deaths since the infectious disease spread through the state.
The victims weren't identified, but the announcement noted that their medical records showed "significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration."
Nicki Minaj has a grim view of Dr. Fauci's future ... saying he'll be eating from feeding tubes and losing the ability to speak.
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On Friday, the rapper posted a lengthy message on X with her bleak assessment of Fauci while also blaming the scientist for the pain and suffering that she believes he caused during the pandemic. Earlier this week, Fauci sat before the Senate to answer questions about the pandemic, but he clammed up and took the Fifth.
Nicki says Fauci -- who was the head of the White House's COVID-19 response -- was responsible for all the trauma to newborns, young children, pregnant women, the elderly and many other people who survived the global health crisis.
Dr. Anthony Fauci isn't being railroaded like alleged Communist sympathizers during the Joe McCarthy era ... so says Rep. Nancy Mace.
The Congresswoman from South Carolina joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday to discuss the ongoing hearings ... and she pushed back on Harvey Levin's argument that this is just Red Scare McCarthyism 2.0.
Rep. Mace strongly disagrees ... saying Senator McCarthy targeted innocent people in different groups to destroy them -- whereas Congress is investigating a man who really did some serious damage.
Sen. Bernie Sandershas some beef with RFK Jr.'s advice for Americans feeling squeezed by soaring meat prices ... saying many families can't even afford the basics, let alone steak.
Charlie caught up with the Senator from Vermont Thursday on Capitol Hill and asked about President Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary suggesting families buy liver or cheaper cuts due to the rising cost of beef.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims one of its recent tests on Taylor Farms products came back as a false positive ... amid the concern over the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.
The FDA revealed it had alerted Taylor Farms that a sample it took that came back positive during an initial exam ... actually ended up being a false positive.
The FDA says it double-checked the test samples on lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, resulting in a "false positive" for the parasite, which causes explosive diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues ... according to a new report.
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After the results turned out to be bogus, the FDA fell on its sword. Taylor Fresh Foods, which owns Taylor Farms, told Newsweek that the FDA apologized to them, saying there was no cyclospora found in the sample.
The founders of the Taco Bell 50K aren't letting the fast-food chain's ongoing parasite outbreak derail their plans ... telling TMZ they're still expecting to hold the race this fall.
Race co-founder Dan Zolnikov tells TMZ the health of participants comes first, but he's optimistic the outbreak will be resolved and investigators will identify the source long before the October event.
He acknowledges the situation could leave some runners hesitant to sign up and may hurt Taco Bell's reputation, which TB just acknowledged on Instagram, in the short term, but says they're hoping for the best possible outcome.
Taco Bell is breaking its silence about the parasite outbreak causing explosive diarrhea ... and they're telling customers it's time to Live Mas once again.
In a statement posted to social media, the popular fast-food chain said all the lettuce connected to supplier Taylor Farms, believed to be the cause of the cyclosporiasis outbreak, has been tossed.
Taco Bell said the health and safety of their customers is the No. 1 concern ... but it's all good now, so come back -- and grub down on cheap Mexican fast food.
Taco Bell is hearing the public's outrage about the recent cyclosporiasis outbreak as loud and clear as a bell ... and now they've been named as a defendant in at least three new lawsuits.
The fast-food chain is being sued by multiple people in connection with the recent outbreak of a parasite that causes explosive diarrhea ... including one man who claims he was admitted to a hospital after coming down with some severe symptoms following a meal at Taco Bell.
A 27-year military veteran named David Ott -- who is being represented by respected law firm Ron Simon & Associates -- claims he purchased and ate some Taco Supremes from an Ohio Taco Bell on June 18 and June 20 ... and, a couple days after, he experienced abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, and more.
