Boy dead, another child injured after bounce house flies into air, crashes onto field during baseball game

CHARLES COUNTY, M.D. (DC News Now) — A 5-year-old boy has died, and another child was injured after a bounce house flew into the air and crashed onto a field during a baseball game on Friday night.

On August 2 at about 9:20 p.m., 911 received a call from the Regency Furniture Stadium stating that a bounce house went airborne due to a wind gust while kids were inside. At the time of the incident, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball team was playing a game.

The bounce house flew about 15 to 20 feet up in the air, which caused the children to fall before it landed on the field.

Charles County EMS personnel, who were already at the stadium for the game, started patient care minutes after the incident took place.

A 5-year-old boy from La Plata had life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital where he later died. A second child was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“We extend our deepest empathy to the children and their families during this difficult time,” said Charles County Government Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins, II, Esq. “We thank our EMS team and the Maryland State Police for their swift actions to ensure the children received immediate care.”

Courtney Knichel, the General Manager of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, said, “Our entire organization shares our condolences with the family mourning the loss of a child, and concern for the child who was injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.”

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs cancelled the baseball game taking place on Saturday night as well as all baseball activities for Saturday.

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