2-year-old child dies, another child hurt after wind sends bounce house flying in Arizona
One child died and another child was injured in a bounce house accident in Arizona, officials say.
The accident happened Saturday in Casa Grande, according to a release by the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. The city sits roughly halfway between Phoenix and Tucson.
A press release from the sheriff's office states that several children were playing in a bounce house when a strong gust of wind sent it flying into a neighboring lot. They also say it was a "tragic accident".
A 2-year-old was transported to a hospital and later pronounced dead, while a second child was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to reporting by The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.
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GoFundMe started to help family of child who died in bounce house accident
"On April 27th, while playing in a bounce house, (the child) was lifted airborne by a sudden gust of wind, resulting in fatal injuries," said Ashley Al-Khouri, a friend of the family, in the description of the GoFundMe she started to raise money for the child's parents.
It adds that the couple is expecting the arrival of a newborn baby.
"Amidst their sorrow, they face the daunting task of preparing for the arrival of their newborn," state the fundraiser's page.
At the time this was written, The GoFundMe has raised $111,774 of its $100,000 goal.
Similar bounce house accidents
Bounce house accidents like the one Saturday in Arizona are unfortunately not unheard of.
In 2021, five children were killed and four others injured in a horrific bouncy castle accident in Australia, USA TODAY previously reported. The children fell 33 feet from the castle after a gust of wind swept up the inflatable house. The castle was at a school function celebrating the end of the year in Australia's island state of Tasmania.
In 2014, USA TODAY reported that two young boys were seriously injured in New York after an inflatable bounce house went airborne. The bounce house reached heights of between 15 and 20 feet, officials said at the time.
Contributing: Scott Gleeson and Jolie Lee