A sixth child died in a hospital after falling from a bouncy castle that was lifted into the air by a wind gust in Australia last week, authorities said Sunday.
The child, Chace Harrison, “passed away in hospital this afternoon,” Tasmania Police Commissioner, Darren Hine, said in a statement.
“Our thoughts continue to be with his family, and the families and loved ones of all the children involved, during what is an incomprehensibly difficult time,” Hine said.
Harrison was one of nine children who fell 32 feet from the bouncy castle, which was lifted by wind during an end-of-year event at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, according to The Associated Press.
A sixth child has died after wind lifted up a bouncy castle at a school event in Australia late last weekhttps://t.co/BoHm10V4YK
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) December 19, 2021
According to Sky News, the other children who died were identified by police as Addison Stewart, 11, Zane Mellor, 12, Jye Sheehan, 12, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12, and Peter Dodt, 12.
Two children remain in critical condition at an area hospital and another child is recovering at home, the news organization reported.
>> 5 children killed when wind gust lifts bouncy castle
Hine said the Devonport Criminal Investigation Branch will “interview all witnesses, gather and analyze forensic evidence and all environmental aspects, including weather patterns and conditions at the time of the incident.”
“Given the magnitude of this critical incident and the need to speak to a large number of traumatized children within a short period of time, we have accepted an offer from NSW (New South Wales) Police to assist in conducting interviews in relation to the investigation,” Hine said. “Four forensic child interviewers will travel to Tasmania today to help conduct interviews with young witnesses over the coming days.”
Hine said “close to 40″ children were participating in the school’s activities when a gust of wind lifted the castle off the ground, CNN reported. Several adults supervising the event provided first aid until emergency services arrived.
“This is a very tragic event and our thoughts are with the families and the wider school community and also our first responders,” Tasmania police commander Debbie Williams told reporters.
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