Toddler remains hospitalized 3 weeks after N.J. amusement park train strike

A 2-year-old was in stable condition Thursday, nearly three weeks after being hit by a train ride at the Land of Make Believe amusement park in Warren County, authorities said.

The accident occurred shortly after 1 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the park in Hope Township.

The toddler was flown to an area hospital in critical condition. On Thursday, a spokesman for New Jersey State Police said the child’s condition had been upgraded to stable and that the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The crash came less than a week before Six Flags Great Adventure in Ocean County closed the 19-story El Toro ride after 14 passengers were hurt when the ride malfunctioned.

A spokesman for Six Flags, located in Jackson Township, said a section of the El Toro ride’s sub-structure was in need of repair and that the wooden roller coaster would be closed until ride experts with the company and the state’s Department of Community Affairs perform inspections.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.