Bounce House Goes Airborne, Killing Toddler

What was supposed to be a fun event turned devastating for an Arizona family Saturday when a bounce house was suddenly swept into the sky, killing a 2-year-old boy inside. "Several children were playing in a bounce house when a strong gust of wind sent it airborne into the neighboring lot," the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said in a statement reported by NBC News. The incident took place around 5pm in Casa Grande. A little girl in the bounce house also received non-life-threatening injuries, reportedly a broken arm, per AZFamily.

The little boy was identified as the son of a Phoenix firefighter who is expecting another child with his wife this month, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up for the family. Police said the incident was "a tragic accident" and offered condolences to the family. Per CBS News, a 2022 report looked at 132 incidents involving bounce houses and wind between 2000 and 2021, and found that at least 28 children had been killed and another 479 injured. Experts say when wind speeds are above 25mph, bounce houses should not be used, 12 News reports. Unexpected gusts of wind can still be dangerous even on calmer days, they say, which is why the structures should always be staked down, with sandbags used to add weight. (A similar, horrific event in Australia left six children dead.)