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Easter Tragedy: 7-Year-Old Summer Grant Killed After 25 MPH Wind Flung Bouncy Castle She Was Playing In 500-Feet Across Park, Slamming Into Caravans And Trailers

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 01:25 PST, Mar 28, 2016

A community is left in shock after learning a 7-year-old girl was killed at Harlow Town Park in Harlow, Essex, in England at an Easter event when she became trapped inside a bouncy castle after it flung 500-feet by a sudden gust of wind, causing the bouncy castle to topple over several caravans and trailers. According to the Daily Mail, Summer Grant had been jumping in the bouncy castle by herself when tragedy struck just shortly after 12 p.m. on Saturday.

It was reported that 25 mph wind gusted into the path of the bouncy castle, causing it to lift the entire structure and hurl 500-feet across the Harlow Town Park. Nearby families at the Easter event watched on helplessly as the young girl was trapped inside of the bouncy castle.

When the bouncy castle came to a halt, witnesses rushed to her aide and waited by her side until paramedics arrived. In an amateur video, an emergency service crew was seen running to the scene, where they treated Grant before she was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital by an air ambulance.

However, despite the hospital staff’s efforts to save the young girl’s life, who had been trapped in the bouncy castle as it was being thrown violently across Harlow Town Park, where she was meeting family, it was to no avail as she succumbed to her injuries shortly after. A medical examiner determined that the cause of death was a result of multiple injuries.

“This is just devastating news. My two little ones were there today, both under the ages of five,” said Terri Rickards, who was at the park yesterday and refused to let her children play in the bounce house because it looked unsafe. “We did not allow them on this bouncy castle as it just didn’t look safe. The winds were just far too strong.”

According to the Mirror, two people — who have yet to identified — were “arrested on suspicion of manslaughter” following the death of Summer Grant. However, further details have been withheld.

Detective Inspector Daniel Stoten said, “This is a very tragic incident where a young girl has lost her life.My deepest sympathies go out to her family. The weather will certainly make up part of this investigation — whether the weather was a factor and whether or not it was appropriate for the ride to be running. It will be a complex and thorough investigation — I do not anticipate this to be a quick inquiry, it will be a lengthy investigation.”

“We will be speaking to scientists in relation to the weight of the ride, the type of weather, the ground underfoot, the moisture content and how the ride was tethered.”

Ray Smith, who is a representative at the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, stated that “it was a sudden gust. Had it been a consistent wind they would have closed down all the inflatables.” He went on to say that “I know the family and I am very confident they had staked it out properly.”

“Everyone in the industry is feeling it and on behalf of the Guild I would like to say that all our thoughts and prayers and with this little girl’s family. We are shocked and devastated and no one here will ever get over it.”

“We are cooperating with the police to find out how all this happened to make sure something like this never happens again.” Neil Gossage, who hires out bouncy castles and is also a registered safety inspector, said the inflatable should not have been in use at all,” he added.

The tragic incident is currently being investigated, and detective Daniel Stoten asks that if anyone, who was at the Easter event at Harlow Town Park in Harlow, has any information or took footage of the incident as it unfolded to contact police.

[Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images]

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