After Dawn's death Tilikum was moved to a new, much smaller tank where he was kept alone and reportedly lay lifeless, floating on the water. BRANCHEAU Dawn Therese nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. In this case he seemed to hold on to Brancheau as if she were his possession, by one witness account. One of the horrified tourists noted that the whale was violently shaking her body. (Fletcher/AP). 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. Jason Garcia of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Wilder watched as the whale looped around and came back toward Brancheau with his mouth open. Dawn Brancheau's death in a brutal and prolonged attack carried out by Tilikum, the killer whale made famous by the Blackfish film, shocked the world. SeaWorld has removed Tilikum from its shows and prohibited trainers from swimming with any of its orcas while it conducts a safety review. Trainer Lynne Schaber told investigators she knew Brancheau was in trouble when Tilikum pulled her into the water because the killer whale "normally keeps things that he has and will not release them." She also dislocated her left elbow and left ear. Dawn Brancheau was said to have a special bond with Tilikum, the killer whale she trained most days. With Ruff Ruffman. But the autopsy report has been released today, and it makes it very clear that Dawn Brancheaus last moments were filled with tremendous suffering. She was cautious and always abided by the park's "safety" guidelines when she was around the orcas. Maybe nottrainers were expected to continue performances, regardless of any signs that an orca might act out. 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. Regarded as one of the world's top killer whale trainers, she was working with the 12,500lb sea creature when it grabbed her. Next, she claimed he "looped around and came back towards Dawn Brancheau with his mouth open". Per the report, Brancheau was badly bruised, cut, and scraped. Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. Authorities concluded that Dawn died due to 'drowning and traumatic injuries.'. DAWN THERESE BRANCHEAU (nee Lo Verde) St. Do you think marine parks and dolphin shows should be banned? To retrieve the dead trainer's whistle from the bottom. ORLANDO, Fla. A SeaWorld Orlando trainer attacked by a killer whale died of drowning and blunt-force trauma to her head, neck and torso, an autopsy released Wednesday showed. Seaworld-Orlando-Shamu-1510 | David R. Tribble | CC BY-SA 3.0. And I didnt know about any of them until after I left SeaWorld. 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. Learn more about SeaWorld on The PETA Podcast: Listen to more episodes on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify! In fact, there had been 30 incidents between killer whales, and trainers prior to my being hired at the park. [35] Since the Shamu show's interaction of animal trainers with orcas was seen as having been SeaWorld's star attraction,[15] SeaWorld contended that it was fundamental to its business. SeaWorld has removed Tilikum from its daily shows and ordered its trainers to keep their distance from the animal. Topoleski, a trainer for SeaWorld Orlando, turned to push an alarm. Why did the marine park wait for 27 minutes to call for paramedics after Tilikum pulled Brancheau into the water? [33] In September 2006, Brancheau had worked temporarily at Loro Parque and reportedly enjoyed working with Martnez. Why? Brancheau lived her dream for 15 years. Chuck Tompkins, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment's corporate curator of zoological operations, said possessiveness wasn't considered a safety risk for SeaWorld's killer-whale trainers, noting that trainers were only permitted to work with Tilikum from the edge of pools because of the orca's massive size and his involvement in the drowning of a trainer at a Canadian marine park in 1991. Dawn Therese Brancheau, nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. [21][22] The orca's move seems to have been very quick, pulling her underwater and drowning her. Usually a SeaWorld staffer would signal that they were "ready" for the huge marine beast to dive down so that tourists could snap photos through the glass. But theres no doubt that he knew exactly what he was doing. It does work. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. trainers ended a show after an orca began to ignore signals, This was precisely the issue at the center of the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) investigation, SeaWorlds failure to generate an incident report. Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. The orca's was so violent with Brancheau that part of her scalp was "forcibly torn from the head," the autopsy said. 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. And why did SeaWorld continue to rely on those failed measures? The evidence in the judges decision seems to indicate that SeaWorld tried to downplay the risks and dangers that its trainers would encounter while working with captive orcas and to cover up its own failures in the incident that led to Dawn Brancheaus death. 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.. The orca's was so violent with Brancheau that part of her scalp was "forcibly torn from the head," the autopsy said. According to Dawn's Foundation, she saw the Shamu show at SeaWorld when she was a child and knew she wanted to become a trainer and work closely with the marine mammals. The report also showed that she dislocated her left elbow and left knee and had lacerations on. The cause of death listed for Brancheau was drowning and traumatic injuries. March 31, 2010— -- SeaWorld's killer whale Tilikum broke its trainer's jaw, fractured part of her vertebra and dislocated one of her elbows and a knee while thrashing her around its pool, according to an autopsy released today. The police report also states that SeaWorld employees had to dive to the bottom of the pool to retrieve her scalp. [4] Judge and later Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a dissenting judge in a legal case involving her death (see below), stated that "To be fearless, courageous, tough to perform a sport or activity at the highest levels of human capacity, even in the face of known physical risk is among the greatest forms of personal achievement for many who take part in these activities. A report into Dawn's death by the Sheriff's Office refers to an . Current subscribers: You will continue to receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It might have been an unusual dream for a girl from landlocked Indiana but . 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. [48] Cowperthwaite's background research suggested to her that there were problems with keeping captive orcas; SeaWorld disagreed, characterizing the film as propaganda. [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. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. In 1991, trainer Keltie Lee Byrne fell into a tank holding Tilikum and two other whales at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, Canada. [59] She was the youngest of six children and always had a love for animals. The most infamous death occurred when Tilikum pulled trainer Dawn Brancheau under . This led SeaWorld to repeatedly seek the lifting of various aspects of OSHA's citations and rulings until 2014, when it decided to not go to Supreme Court. Tilikum, one of the largest orcas held captive at SeaWorld, was in captivity for over 30 years. 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. An autopsy ruled that he died of hypothermia in the 50-degree water. 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. 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. The 40-year-old trainer was at ease with the killer whale and had just petted him on the nose. Subscribe for new episodes. She resolved to become a 'Shamu' trainer after watching a 'Shamu' show during a family vacation in Orlando. Much about Brancheau's last moments was known. 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! According to the OCSO report, once SeaWorld workers finally were able to extract Brancheau from Tilikum's mouth, they had to go back and get her arm, her scalp and her whistle from the tank. Bringing killer whale to SeaWorld Orlando after death of trainer in Canada stirred debate in D.C. Nude man found dead on back of killer whale. One of her SeaWorld colleagues is certain she "loved" the 12,000-pound orca and that he loved her back. 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. Upon applying for the permit, SeaWorld hadnt even looked at the incident report about the Sealand trainers death, and after being urged by the NMFS to do so, SeaWorld attributed the previous attack to a design flaw at Sealand. 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. SeaWorld patrons quickly were ushered out of the area and workers tried to corral Tilikum, but by the time they retrieved Brancheau's body she was dead. 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.. Transcripts of witness statements and a preliminary report of the death were released previously. Dawn Brancheau was one of SeaWorlds star performers. Brancheau also appeared in a season four episode of Fetch! We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The incident is the subject of Blackfish, a documentary film available to watch on Netflix. Some witness said he shook her "violently"on occasion. [5] As a senior trainer, she appeared in various SeaWorld public performances for many years. Dukes' parents filed a lawsuit against the park that year but later withdrew it. A judge has temporarily ruled that video footage and photographs of the violent killing of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau by Tilly the killer whale will not be made public. CLOUDE, FL FORMERLY OF CEDAR LAKE Dawn Therese Brancheau (nee Lo Verde), 40, of St. Some people questioned if he had mistaken her ponytail for a toy. [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. New in the final report was: A synopsis of. That park visitor Jessica Wilder of Vermont told investigators she saw Brancheau lying on a platform, hugging Tilikum and feeding him fish. Tilikum released Dawn 45 minutes after he grabbed and drowned her. [6][28] This internal, voluntary prohibition was similar to what had happened after some other injuries to animal trainers. [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. The incident was documented in the 2013 film Blackfish. The medical examiner reports that no drugs or alcohol were found in Dukes' system. Emily Atack won't stop accepting sexy TV roles despite cruel online trolls, The Inbetweeners actress and comedian Emily Atack has vowed to keep accepting racy on-screen roles despite the horrific abuse she's received from online abusers, Police hunt for East London gang setting foxes on fire with 'lighter fluid', The sickening criminals have reportedly been torturing foxes, setting them on fire, and smoking out their dens with police are appealing for more information from the public. What happened next would shock the audience - and the world. Her liver had been torn open and her scalp was ripped off. [47][55][56] SeaWorld transitioned to being a publicly traded company in 2013. According to Dawn's Foundation, a non-profit that Brancheau's family founded in the wake of her death that aims to improve the lives of both children and animals in need, Brancheau saw the famous Shamu show as a young girl and was determined to become a whale trainer. [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. Was the park using this time to remove witnesses whose accounts didnt match the story that SeaWorld was trying to create to make it seem as if her ponytail had triggered Tilikums reaction? It was a horrifying end to the life of a woman who was fulfilling her childhood dream of working as a SeaWorld trainer. 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. [8] Welsch was sharply critical of SeaWorld's assertion that it was unaware that working with orcas posed a hazard to employees. The gory details of Dawn Brancheau's death in the jaws of a killer whale are not for the faint of heart. And she drowned. Lynne told cops that she knew Dawn was in trouble as Tilikum was a 'possessive' animal, and once he had things in his mouth he would not release them. Cloud, FL, formerly of Cedar Lake, IN, passed away February 24, 2010 doing what she loved. Dawn Brancheau - Autopsy Reports of Celebrities and Other Famous . The report claims "Tilikum the whale could clearly be seen at the edge of 'D' pool. However, on this occasion, the ban was solidified by an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) intervention. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Disturbing Details Found In SeaWorld Trainer Dawn Brancheau's Autopsy Report, Orange County Sheriff's Office Investigative Report. Although the OCSO Investigative Report recorded witnesses saying that Brancheau was scrambling to escape, the 12,000-pound orca struck her squarely in the chest, before dragging her underwater and holding her there for more than 30 minutes. You'll have to find the ghoul in under 11 seconds, so can you do it? 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." He killed her.. 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. Dukes reportedly got past security at SeaWorld, remaining in the park after it had closed. Below the surface, terrified tourists and staffers were witnessing the final moments of Dawn Brancheau. [59]:98 The law was partly a response to the circumstances of Brancheau's death. Tilikum, the killer Orca whale, was responsible for at least three horrific deaths during his 36-year life span. [59], On behalf of the family, Mills argued in court that disclosure of media by state agencies is equivalent to dissemination, based on the Nikki Catsouras photographs case, in which retrospective attempts to limit public access have not been fully successful. The 41-year-old was snatched and dragged into the water during a live show so quickly that no one saw it happening - not . [12][50][51][52] In addition to the impact of OSHA-imposed safety-based abatements of previous work practices to prevent further similar events, Cowperthwaite began working on Blackfish in 2010 following Brancheau's death,[53][54] initially having questions about SeaWorld's "ponytail hypothesis". Six years after the tragedy SeaWorld announced it was ending its programme of breeding the orcas in captivity. Prince Harry says he was 'perfect for military' as 'emotional pain worse than physical', Prince Harry said he found emotional pain "worse than physical pain" during an "intimate" interview with Dr Gabor Mat today as he opened up about the death of his mum, Princess Diana, 'Sonic boom' mystery that felt like 'explosion' to people across country is solved, People in Leicester, Oxford and Northampton all reported hearing a "sonic boom" that sounded like a "bomb had gone off" earlier today, causing ground shakes and the cause has finally been determined, BBC Breakfast host ends Lenny Henry chat as he warns 'you shouldn't say that', BBC Breakfast's Charlie Stayt abruptly ended his chat with Sir Lenny Henry on Thursday when the loveable comedian made a cheeky quip about getting free books from the library, Bride left in tears as 88 guests RSVP to wedding but over half don't show up, Gray and her partner Nyx were disappointed as they looked at the empty ceremony room where she was expecting 88 guests but less than 40 turned up to their wedding, Art Attack legend Neil Buchanan unrecognisable after quitting TV role for rock band, Neil Buchanan, best known for being the face of iconic CITV series Art Attack, looks worlds away from his clean-cut children's presenter days as a rock star, The Chase fans swoon over 'gorgeous' ITV player before she sparks complaints, The Chase viewers couldn't help but swoon over contestant Rachael who they branded 'gorgeous' - but the praise didn't last long after she made a shocking decision, Rebel Wilson claims Meghan Markle is 'not as warm' as 'lovely' Prince Harry, Recently engaged Rebel Wilson has recalled the moment she first met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a trip to California with her mum, claiming the Duchess was "not as cool", Pamela Anderson reveals she was 'painfully shy' before nude Playboy centrefold shoot, Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson, 55, has opened up about the shyness she suffered from prior to appearing nude for Playboy, for whom she would be a cover star 14 times, New series of Mrs Brown's Boys heading to BBC despite lowest ever ratings, A new series of Mrs Brown's Boys has been confirmed despite a serious drop in ratings - but after only airing specials in recent years, a mini series is about to hit TV screens, Kim Kardashian 'ready to date again' but doesn't want famous Hollywood star partner, Kim Kardashian is on the lookout for a new relationship and wants to date someone who isn't a Hollywood star, a source close to the reality star has confirmed, TEE-RIFFIC: Golf influencer who is 'too beautiful' loves bikini shots and could rival Paige Spiranac, Golf influencer Waiyi Chan is growing in popularity with her glamorous Instagram posts and is seen as a possible rival for social media sensation Paige Spiranac, Bikini-clad carpenter claims 'old fashioned' co-workers don't like her racy work outfits, A female carpenter, who is known online as "The Bikini Woodworker", claims "old fashioned" people in the trade aren't a fan of her videos where she dons a two-piece swimsuit to work, Stephen Bears fiance breaks silence as reality star is jailed for revenge porn, Stephen Bear's fianc Jessica Smith threw her support behind the disgraced TV star, insisting she will "always" be by his side despite his 21-month prison sentence, Putin's 'secret brood of children' with ex-Olympic star 'raised in luxury', Vladimir Putin is said to be secretly raising several children with his alleged girlfriend, Alina Kabaeva, in a 'luxury forest palace' fit for a 'royal' as the leak reportedly comes from Kabaeva's friends, Love Island fans accuse bosses of 'hiding the real Lana' after spotting key clue, Love Island fans think the main show, which airs throughout the week, is doing Lana Jenkins 'dirty' with producers 'hiding' her personality and instead airing a 'scripted' show, Johnny Depp shocks locals with unexpected arrival at Lincolnshire antique shop, Pirates Of The Caribbean actor and Hollywood icon Johnny Depp rocked up and bought several guitars at the Lincolnshire antiques shop after arriving by helicopter, Rylan Clark admits bizarre phobia after being 'obsessed' with Monster Munch crisps, This Morning presenter Rylan Clark said he used to love eating Monster Munch crisps as a youngster, but things took a turn when he scoffed too many of the snacks, Erling Haaland loses the plot in scrap with Dan Burn - before laughing it off, Erling Haaland has bullied numerous defences since his arrival in the Premier League, but the Manchester City forward's took on his largest opponent yet - Dan Burn, Only 1% of players can find hidden ghost inside room in under 11 seconds. 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. . 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? In 2006, her decade of work with orcas was profiled, including her leadership role in a two- to three-year revamp of the Shamu show. Dawn Brancheau Autopsy Report Uploaded by Tim Zimmermann Description: The Orange County Medical Examiner's Autopsy Report on Dawn Brancheau Copyright: Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC) Available Formats Download as PDF or read online from Scribd Flag for inappropriate content Save 45% 55% Embed Share Print Download now of 8 Related Interests Her left elbow and left knee were dislocated. The court agrees with Dr. Duffus. Something went wrong, please try again later. She had multiple broken bones, including ribs, her jaw, and her neck. That Topoleski told investigators trainers moved Tilikum into three different pools in their attempt to free Brancheau, but the orca would not release her. Trainer and whale at SeaWorld Orlando | TUFKAAP | CC BY-SA 3.0, My understanding of the animals past was very limited. 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. DAWN BRANCHEAU OBITUARY. Dawn Therese Brancheau, 40, of St. She was survived by her husband, Scott. [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." She was lying with her face next to Tilikum's on a slide-out, which is a platform submerged about a foot into the water. Her spinal cord was severed, and she had sustained fractures to her jawbone, ribs, and a cervical vertebra. Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at SeaWorld Adventure Park who died in a savage attack by one of the park's killer whales in Februaary, is shown while performing in 2005. 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. [33] Four SeaWorld orcas had been delivered by wide-body cargo plane in February 2006, and SeaWorld staff trained a group of Loro Parque trainers in San Antonio and Orlando. "I truly believe he looked at Dawn as an object, a toy," he said. The optical illusion will leave you stumped as it's asking people to spot the ghost hiding inside the room. Instead, he pulled the 40-year-old trainer into his tank. The cause of death listed for Brancheau was drowning and traumatic injuries. Your Crocodile Purse and Snakeskin Boots Have a Disturbing Past, Ugandas First Vegan School Wins PETA Kindness Award, Diane Warren Is Standing With PETA to Help End the Iditarod, And the Winners of PETAs Sixth Annual Oscat Awards Are. [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. The OnlyFans model and Twitch streamer's Estonian stalker is back, attempting to break in before leaving a mysterious box and key at the front door of her home. Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. Per the report, Brancheau was badly bruised, cut, and scraped. [57], Lawmakers in California and the US House of Representatives proposed legislation to phase out orca captivity, and the California Coastal Commission moved in 2015 to ban orca breeding. [17] The autopsy concluded that Dukes' cause of death was drowning. It ended with the violent death of 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau, who worked there for 15 years. "He had a great relationship with her, and she had a great relationship with him. Meanwhile, six years after the tragedy SeaWorld announced it was ending its programme of breeding the orcas in captivity. 7 The report by the Medical Examiner's Office ruled Dawn Brancheau's official cause of death as drowning and traumatic injuries. Tilikum the orca, infamous for killing two people previously in marine water parks, dragged SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau into a swim tank on February 24, 2010. 10-1705, Secretary of Labor v. SeaWorld of Florida, LLC", "Trio of Deaths: The Portrayal of Daniel Dukes", "Trainer Dawn Brancheau decided as child to work with killer whales", "WESH 2 interviewed late SeaWorld trainer in 2000", "Video: High Stakes Battle Between Sea World and the US Government", "United States Court of Appeals Argued November 12, 2013 Decided April 11, 2014 No. Dawn Brancheau developed a "close bond" with a SeaWorld orca called Tilikum. Dawn Brancheau was declared dead shortly after the show, but still SeaWorld claims no responsibility for the vicious attack. After he was transferred to SeaWorld in Orlando, Tilikum was again connected to the death of a person in 1999. It marked the third time the animal, named Tilikum, had been involved in a human death. The one-day debate between animal-rights activists and theme-park operators in Washington centered on the educational value of parks such as SeaWorld. Dawn Brancheau was a Sea World trainer who worked with various whales at Sea World Orlando. 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.