A five-year-old boy was killed and another child was injured after a bouncy castle rose into the air before crashing on the field during a baseball game in Maryland.
The accident happened at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf on Friday night, where families had gathered to watch the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs play.
Eyewitnesses described the terrifying moment when a sudden gust of wind sent the bouncy castle, with the children still inside, flying 15 to 20 feet into the air.
Emergency services arrived at the scene at around 9:20 p.m., but despite their efforts, the young man from La Plata could not be saved.
He was airlifted to a nearby children’s hospital where he was tragically pronounced dead.
A five-year-old boy was killed and another child was injured after a bouncy castle rose into the air before crashing on the field during a baseball game in Maryland.
The accident happened at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf on Friday night, where families had gathered to watch the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs play.
A second child was also injured, but his condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
The Blue Crabs have canceled their upcoming game and are offering counseling to devastated families.
Courtney Knichel, general manager of Blue Crabs, said, “Our entire organization shares our condolences with the family grieving the loss of a child and concern for the child who was injured.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them all,” he added.
Charles County Government Commissioner Chairman Reuben B. Collins, II, Esq., also expressed his deepest condolences.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to the children and their families during this difficult time,” he said. “We thank our EMS team and the Maryland State Police for their quick actions to ensure the children received immediate care.”
The Blue Crabs have cancelled their upcoming game and are offering counseling to devastated families.
Eyewitnesses described the terrifying moment when a sudden gust of wind sent the bouncy castle, with the children still inside, flying 15 to 20 feet into the air.
Courtney Knichel (pictured), general manager of Blue Crabs, said: “Our entire organization shares our condolences with the family grieving the loss of a child and concern for the child who was injured.”
In April, an Arizona firefighter’s child died after a bounce house was lifted into the air by a strong gust of wind and landed in a neighbor’s yard.
The tragedy, which also left another child injured, occurred at a children’s birthday party in Casa Grande on Saturday.
The 2-year-old boy, named Bodhi by a family friend, was rushed to a local hospital but was later pronounced dead, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.
The second child was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Bouncy castles cause many injuries each year, with at least 28 deaths and 479 injuries due to wind-related accidents between 2021 and 2022, according to a study by the University of Georgia.