Maryland community mourns death of 5-year-old boy during baseball game after bounce house goes airborne

CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Residents living near the Regency Furniture Stadium in Charles County are still coming to grips with the shocking death of a child when a bounce house went airborne Friday night.

Charles County officials say a 911 call was made just before 9:30 p.m., reporting that during a baseball game, a bounce house at the Blue Crabs stadium was pushed off the ground by a gust of wind. The airborne bounce house, carrying 5-year-old Declan Hicks, went 15-20 feet into the air before crashing back down.

“Very tragic,” said Alisha Smith, who lives beside the stadium. “No parent is expecting to be at a baseball game and experience that.”

The official cause of the incident is still under investigation. Meanwhile, the Blue Crabs canceled both games on Saturday and Sunday, sending thoughts and prayers to the Southern Maryland community. 

Parents living nearby say the children’s play area is one of the stadium’s most appealing features, and the bounce house was a big hit.

“Sometimes little kids, they get bored watching baseball, so you could send them over there,” said James Macdonald. “They could go play, but you definitely think twice about doing something like that now.”   

A study from the American Meteorological Society says while these incidents are relatively rare, most happen during the warm season.

Now, parents are asking if something could’ve been done to make sure Declan was safe.

“To hear that a bounce house flew in the air, you would think that there would be better precautions taken,” Macdonald said. 

“Hopefully, someone didn’t get comfortable and not do regular checks on the equipment that the kids are playing on,” says Smith. “I have three sons, and we’d more than likely go to a game again, but definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable inside the bounce house.”

A GoFundMe has been created in honor of Declan. The family is still processing this very unexpected death and hasn't made any service arrangements. To donate click here.