BOUNCY CASTLE HORROR

The safety of the popular party inflatables has come into question following the recent deaths of eight children

- ROBYN LUCAS

IT’S A favourite attraction at many children’s parties and with good reason. It’s fun, colourful, and bright and it can keep little kids occupied for hours in one space.

But two recent devastating incidents, in which eight children lost their lives and several were injured have made parents around the world think twice about getting a bouncy jumping castle for their next event.

Two children died in Mislata in Spain after strong winds lifted the bouncy castle they were on while at a festive season fair. An eight-year-old girl, identified only as Cayetana, and a four-year-old named Vera died after plummeting offthe airborne inflatable, which had blown several meters into the air.

Seven other children, including Cayetana’s brother, Jaime (11) were injured.

“All of a sudden I saw [the castle] rise into the air,” one witness said. “I saw the kids that were in the air; I think they fell onto another inflatable structure. There was a young girl on the floor, unconscious.”

Cayetana crashed to the ground and landed on her head. She was rushed to Hospital Clínic de Valencia where she died hours later.

A week after the 4 January tragedy, Vera’s father, Iván Pérez, said his daughter had succumbed to her multiple injuries.

Vera had a smile that “will not disappear”, Iván said on social media. Posting in her voice, he said her organs would be donated. “I say goodbye to the world in a tragic and unfair way. To the five little friends I help to live with my organs, be as happy as I have been.”