Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
The US Sun
Boy, 5, dies and another child injured after bounce house is swept into air before crashing down onto baseball stadium
By Rebecca Lee,
2024-08-03
A BOUNCE house accident has caused the death of a small child after the wind carried the minors in the inflatable over 15 feet into the air.
The tragic incident happened on Friday evening, leading to an urgent call from the Regency Furniture Stadium during a Maryland Blue Crabs game to authorities for help as young kids fell onto the field.
The bounce house became airborne due to a wind gust that took the moon bounce, along with the numerous children playing inside of it, around 15 to 20 feet up in the air, CBS affiliate WUSA reported.
The crowd attending the event noted their shock as they watched the bounce house, with kids in it, go completely airborne before coming back down.
Before the inflatable moon bounced and landed back on the stadium field, the lift from the heavy wind caused several children to fall to the ground.
The exact number of how many children were inside the bounce house when it became airborne has not yet been revealed.
Emergency personnel reported to the scene and began patient care when they found that a 5-year-old boy had sustained life-threatening injuries.
The young child was immediately flown to the National Children’s Hospital , where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities reported that a second minor was hurt in the incident as well.
The second child affected in the accident suffered from non-life-threatening injuries and was also flown to the mentioned hospital.
“We extend our deepest empathy to the children and their families during this difficult time,” Charles County Government Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins, II stated.
It was not immediately clear why the wind gust could lift the bounce house.
Concerns have been raised regarding whether it was solely due to the power of a strong wind, whether the moon bounce being improperly secured contributed to it, or whether a combination of factors caused it.
Witnesses told NBC Washington that the bounce house was secured with stakes hammered into the ground.
General Manager of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Courtney Knichel also spoke out as the tragedy continues to unfold.
“Our entire organization shares our condolences with the family mourning the loss of a child and our concern for the child who was injured,” she said.
Our entire organization shares our condolences with the family mourning the loss of a child and our concern for the child who was injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs General Manager Courtney Knichel NBC Washington
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.”
The Maryland Blue Crabs team is also “offering counseling and support to families, players and fans who attended the game,” they said in a release.
Additionally, the baseball team canceled its following game which was scheduled for the very next day in honor of the victims and their grieving families.
All other planned activities for Saturday, August 3 were canceled by the team as well.
Back in the day we didn’t need no bouncy house let these kids play on the ground at a playground or something where it’s safer, I see a lawsuit coming 💯
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.