Tragedy struck the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball game last week; a gust of wind lifted up a bounce house that was set-up outside of the ballfield for visiting children and tossed it onto the field. After being lofted 15-20 feet into the air, the inflatable structure came crashing down killing 5-year old Declan Hicks and injuring another child.
“He was a great friend, and a fan favorite in his 4-year-old classroom, not just with other children but with his teachers. Our heart aches for his family and our school family,” said a fundraiser set up by someone connected to Declan’s preschool. The GoFundMe has raised more than $33,000 of a $30,000 goal as of press time of this article. “We know that no money can bring back this wonderful little life but hope to help his family navigate through this difficult time.”
On August 2 at 9:21 p.m., Charles County 9-1-1 Public Safety Communications received a call from the Regency Furniture Stadium reporting that a moon bounce house became airborne due to a wind gust, while children were inside it. At the time, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball team was playing a game, and the moon bounce was carried approximately 15 to 20 feet up in the air, causing children to fall before it landed on the playing field.
Charles County EMS personnel, who were already stationed at the stadium for the game, along with trainers from the baseball team and several Volunteer first responders who were in attendance, swiftly began patient care within minutes of the incident. One pediatric patient, Declan, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by Maryland State Police (MSP) Trooper 2 to Children’s Hospital. A second pediatric patient who sustained non-life-threatening injuries was also flown out by MSP Trooper 7.
“We extend our deepest empathy to the children and their families during this difficult time,” stated 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, General Manager of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs stated that “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 team is offering counseling and support to families, players, and fans who attended the game.
The bounce house was set-up to entertain kids during the game. It is not yet known if it was properly secured.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Maryland Department of Labor are investigating the incident. The Department of Labor will look into who held the permit for the bounce house and whether proper safety protocols were followed.
Deaths do occur in bounce houses that aren’t secured. In May, a bounce house was lofted by a gust of wind in Arizona, killing 1 child and seriously injuring another. An incident in Tasmania in 2021 claimed the life of 5 children.
According to a study published in 2022 by the American Meteorological Society, bounce houses are responsible for more than two dozen deaths and nearly 500 injuries during the years 2000–2021. The study stated that bounce houses “are safety hazards when they are dragged, blown over, or lofted by winds.”
