A playful evening turned into a disaster at a minor league baseball game in Waldorf, Maryland, when a bounce house went airborne, leading to the death of a five-year-old boy and injuring another child.
The incident occurred at Regency Furniture Stadium on Friday night, August 2, during a game between the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and the Pennsylvania York Revolution.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office reported that strong wind gusts lifted the bounce house 15 to 20 feet into the air around 9:20 p.m. Children playing inside were sent flying before the inflatable structure landed on the field. The injured children were immediately attended to by emergency personnel, team trainers, and volunteer first responders who were present at the game.
A five-year-old boy from La Plata, Maryland, suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted by Maryland State Police to Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he later died. Another child, whose condition was not immediately clear, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was also flown to a local hospital for treatment.
In a statement, Blue Crabs General Manager Courtney Knichel expressed the team’s sorrow: “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 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs canceled the game and all scheduled baseball activities for Saturday as the community grappled with the tragedy. The team also offered counseling services to players, fans, and others who attended the game to help them cope with the incident.
Charles County officials extended their condolences as well, emphasizing the impact on the local community. A press release from the Charles County Government stated, “The entire Charles County community extends its deepest condolences to the family of the child who died and offers concern for the injured child. We stand with them during this difficult time.”
According to witnesses, the bounce house was secured with stakes, but the strong gust of wind managed to lift it off the ground. The National Weather Service had not issued any significant wind warnings in the area at the time of the incident, leaving many to question how such a powerful gust occurred.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has long advised that bounce houses should be used with caution and always under supervision, particularly in windy conditions. They recommend anchoring inflatables securely and monitoring weather forecasts to avoid such accidents.
The incident is currently under investigation by local authorities to determine if any safety regulations were breached or if the bounce house was improperly secured. The CPSC is also expected to be involved in assessing the cause and suggesting further preventive measures.
Regency Furniture Stadium, home to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, is located approximately 30 miles south of Washington, D.C., and regularly hosts games and family events. The bounce house was part of the entertainment setup for children during the game, a common feature at many minor league stadiums.
As the investigation continues, the community remains in mourning. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, an independent team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, have received numerous messages of support from fans and other teams in the league.
For now, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the families affected, and the community are left to process the sudden loss and support each other through this difficult time. As Knichel put it in her statement, “We will do everything we can to help the families, our players, and our fans heal from this devastating event.”
