Death of Declan Under Investigation by Maryland
Amusement Ride Safety Inspection – Safety Inspection
Report Amusement Ride-related accidents, injuries, unsafe conditions, questions, or concerns 24/7 to AR.Direct@maryland.gov.
Emergency telephone number: 410-767-2638
Established 1976
The Amusement Safety Inspection Program operates under Title 3 of the Business Regulation Article and provides inspections for amusement rides and attractions erected permanently or temporarily at carnivals, fairs, and amusement parks throughout Maryland. This includes inspections for passenger ropeways, such as those that exist at ski resorts. Our mission is to prevent injuries, protect property, and save the lives of individuals using amusement attractions in the State through an on-site competent and professional inspection.
General Information:
In Memory of Declan Hicks: Support His Family
As many of you know, a horrible tragedy occurred at the Blue Crabs stadium this past Friday. It is said that being a parent is hard, but nothing is harder than losing a child, especially in something so innocent that no parent would expect. That day family, friends, and the world lost a dinosaur lover, ninja turtle fan, and crazy sock-wearing (with boots!) 5-year-old, Declan Hicks.
Declan was part of the Blessed Lambs Preschool family for three years. He was a very special little boy who brought light and laughter to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. To know him was to love him. He was a great friend and a fan favorite in his 4-year-old classroom, not just with other children but also with his teachers. Our heart aches for his family and our school family.
We know that no money can bring back this wonderful little life but hope to help his family navigate through this difficult time.
Declan was not just a son but a brother and loved so much by his family. We know that surrounding them with love and support during this time would be greatly appreciated.
UPDATE:
Family and friends will unite on Friday, August 16, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the Celebration of Life at 11:00 a.m. at South Potomac Church, 4915 Robert Crain Hwy, White Plain, Maryland 20695. A private burial will follow.
WALDORF, MD. – One child was killed and several others injured when a Moonbounce, apparently not secured properly, took off for a short flight, dumping kids onto the ballfield.
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 sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by Maryland State Police (MSP) Trooper 2 to Children’s Hospital. This patient, a five-year-old male from La Plata, was later pronounced deceased. A second pediatric patient who sustained non-life-threatening injuries was also flown out by MSP Trooper 7.
Courtney Knichel, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs’ general manager, stated that “our entire organization shares our condolences with the family mourning the loss of a child and concerns for the child who was injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.” The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have canceled all baseball activities for Saturday, August 3, 2024, and are offering counseling and support to families, players, and fans who attended the game.
WYFF posted this list of bounce house incidents
December 2007, Castle Rock, Washington: A 3-year-old boy was killed in an indoor bounce house when two adults fell on him and fractured his skull.
June 2011, Nassau County, New York: Three bounce houses were lifted and rolled by a gust of wind, injuring 13 people.
May 2014, South Glens Fall, New York: Two kindergartners were seriously injured when they fell from a bounce house after it was picked up by a wind gust that blew them as far as 50 feet into the air. One child landed on a parked car, and another on asphalt.
May 2014, Jefferson County, Colorado: A bounce house was blown 300 feet, throwing out a 10-year-old girl immediately. An 11-year-old boy was injured as the bounce house continued to be blown and flipped more than 300 feet.
July 2014, Sparks, Nevada: An inflated slide at a Fourth of July celebration was blown three stories into the air, injuring two bystanders.
October 2014, Nashua, New Hampshire: Two brothers, 2 and 3 years old, were hospitalized, the younger in critical condition, after the bounce house they were in at a Halloween festival was swept 30 feet into the air before crashing into an orchard. The bounce house owner was charged with several misdemeanors for operating improperly.
June 2015, Guangxi, China: A 3-year-old girl was killed at a birthday party when she fell from a bounce castle that was lifted by a gust of wind.
March 2016, Essex, England: A 7-year-old girl died after a bounce castle blew away with her inside. A man and woman were charged with suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence in the case.
May 2016, Houston, Texas: Ten people were injured when strong winds blew a bounce house more than 30 yards across a football field and into a fence during a school carnival.
May 2016, Fort Lauderdale, Florida: A water spout moved onshore and lifted a bounce house, throwing three young children 20 feet onto the sand below.
There is no agency that oversees the use of bounce houses and other inflatables in South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation does not inspect or regulate bounce houses.
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