Court clears owner in 2021 Tasmanian bouncy castle deaths of six children, blamed on unprecedented weather
An Australian court acquitted Rosemary Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb, in the 2021 bouncy castle tragedy that killed six children and seriously injured three at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania. Gamble was charged with failing to comply with safety duties, but the magistrate ruled the incident was caused by an unpredictable "dust devil." The verdict devastated the victims' families, who felt justice was not served.
Rosemary Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb, was charged in November 2023 with failing to meet workplace health and safety duties related to a bouncy castle. Prosecutors claimed she did not secure the inflatable properly. Gamble pleaded not guilty.
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A Tasmanian court on Friday, June 6, has cleared an Australian bouncy castle company's owner of breaching any safety laws in an accident that killed six children at a primary school fair in 2021.The accident occurred in December 2021 at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania. A sudden gust of wind lifted a bouncy castle into the air during end-of-year celebrations, resulting in the deaths of six children and serious injuries to three others.The children who lost their lives were Addison Stewart, Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt, and Chace Harrison. They were between 11 and 12 years old. Five of them were on the bouncy castle when it became airborne, and one was struck by the inflatable's blower while waiting in line.Rosemary Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb (bouncy castle company), which provided the bouncy castle, was charged in November 2023 with failing to comply with workplace health and safety duties. Prosecutors argued that she did not properly secure the inflatable. Gamble pleaded not guilty.Magistrate Robert Webster acquitted Gamble of the charges. He stated that the incident was caused by an "unprecedented weather system," specifically a dust devil, which was impossible to predict. He noted that the outcome would likely have been the same even if Gamble had taken additional precautions.The verdict left the victims' families devastated. Some parents expressed their anguish in court, feeling that justice had not been served. Andrew Dodt, father of Peter Dodt, said, "Our hopes are just shattered now".Gamble, through her lawyer, expressed deep sorrow for the incident. She acknowledged the lasting impact on the families and stated, "I never meant for something like this to happen, and I am just so sorry that it did".The tragedy resulted in a ban on the use of jumping castles in Tasmanian schools until further notice. A memorial service was held in December 2022 to honor the victims, and discussions about a permanent memorial are ongoing.
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Time of India
16 hours ago
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Court clears owner in 2021 Tasmanian bouncy castle deaths of six children, blamed on unprecedented weather
An Australian court acquitted Rosemary Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb, in the 2021 bouncy castle tragedy that killed six children and seriously injured three at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania. Gamble was charged with failing to comply with safety duties, but the magistrate ruled the incident was caused by an unpredictable "dust devil." The verdict devastated the victims' families, who felt justice was not served. Rosemary Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb, was charged in November 2023 with failing to meet workplace health and safety duties related to a bouncy castle. Prosecutors claimed she did not secure the inflatable properly. Gamble pleaded not guilty. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A Tasmanian court on Friday, June 6, has cleared an Australian bouncy castle company's owner of breaching any safety laws in an accident that killed six children at a primary school fair in accident occurred in December 2021 at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania. A sudden gust of wind lifted a bouncy castle into the air during end-of-year celebrations, resulting in the deaths of six children and serious injuries to three children who lost their lives were Addison Stewart, Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt, and Chace Harrison. They were between 11 and 12 years old. Five of them were on the bouncy castle when it became airborne, and one was struck by the inflatable's blower while waiting in Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb (bouncy castle company), which provided the bouncy castle, was charged in November 2023 with failing to comply with workplace health and safety duties. Prosecutors argued that she did not properly secure the inflatable. Gamble pleaded not Robert Webster acquitted Gamble of the charges. He stated that the incident was caused by an "unprecedented weather system," specifically a dust devil, which was impossible to predict. He noted that the outcome would likely have been the same even if Gamble had taken additional verdict left the victims' families devastated. Some parents expressed their anguish in court, feeling that justice had not been served. Andrew Dodt, father of Peter Dodt, said, "Our hopes are just shattered now".Gamble, through her lawyer, expressed deep sorrow for the incident. She acknowledged the lasting impact on the families and stated, "I never meant for something like this to happen, and I am just so sorry that it did".The tragedy resulted in a ban on the use of jumping castles in Tasmanian schools until further notice. A memorial service was held in December 2022 to honor the victims, and discussions about a permanent memorial are ongoing.
Economic Times
16 hours ago
- Economic Times
Court clears owner in 2021 Tasmanian bouncy castle deaths of six children, blamed on unprecedented weather
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A Tasmanian court on Friday, June 6, has cleared an Australian bouncy castle company's owner of breaching any safety laws in an accident that killed six children at a primary school fair in accident occurred in December 2021 at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania. A sudden gust of wind lifted a bouncy castle into the air during end-of-year celebrations, resulting in the deaths of six children and serious injuries to three children who lost their lives were Addison Stewart, Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt, and Chace Harrison. They were between 11 and 12 years old. Five of them were on the bouncy castle when it became airborne, and one was struck by the inflatable's blower while waiting in Gamble, owner of Taz-Zorb (bouncy castle company), which provided the bouncy castle, was charged in November 2023 with failing to comply with workplace health and safety duties. Prosecutors argued that she did not properly secure the inflatable. Gamble pleaded not Robert Webster acquitted Gamble of the charges. He stated that the incident was caused by an "unprecedented weather system," specifically a dust devil, which was impossible to predict. He noted that the outcome would likely have been the same even if Gamble had taken additional verdict left the victims' families devastated. Some parents expressed their anguish in court, feeling that justice had not been served. Andrew Dodt, father of Peter Dodt, said, "Our hopes are just shattered now".Gamble, through her lawyer, expressed deep sorrow for the incident. She acknowledged the lasting impact on the families and stated, "I never meant for something like this to happen, and I am just so sorry that it did".The tragedy resulted in a ban on the use of jumping castles in Tasmanian schools until further notice. A memorial service was held in December 2022 to honor the victims, and discussions about a permanent memorial are ongoing.
