The court ruled the tragic accident, which occurred during a school fair in Tasmania, was caused by an unexpected weather phenomenon, leaving families in anguish.
Bouncy Castle Operator Acquitted in Heartbreaking Tragedy That Claimed Six Lives
Bouncy Castle Operator Acquitted in Heartbreaking Tragedy That Claimed Six Lives
Taz-Zorb operator Rosemary Anne Gamble found not guilty of safety violations linked to 2021 incident.
An Australian court has acquitted a bouncy castle operator in connection with a tragic incident that occurred in 2021, resulting in the deaths of six children and injuries to three others. Rosemary Anne Gamble, the owner of Taz-Zorb, was found not guilty of safety law violations, as the incident was attributed to an unprecedented weather event deemed impossible to predict.
The devastating accident took place at a primary school fair in Devonport, Tasmania, where six young victims fell approximately 10 meters (33 feet) when strong winds lifted the bouncy castle into the air. Many families were left heartbroken following the court's recent verdict, with some expressing their disbelief in the courtroom, as reported by ABC News.
Prosecutors had contended that Ms. Gamble failed to properly anchor the bouncy castle, but her defense argued that the occurrence of a dust devil—a swirling vortex of air and debris—was unforeseen and unpreventable. Magistrate Robert Webster ruled in favor of the defense, stating that while Ms. Gamble could have taken additional safety measures, they would not have changed the tragic outcome of the event.
The accident claimed the lives of Addison Stewart, Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt, and Chace Harrison, all aged between 11 and 12. They were attending the school fair on the last day of term before the holiday break in December 2021. Tragically, five victims were playing on the castle while the sixth, who awaited his turn, was fatally struck by an inflatable blower.
Feelings of anguish and sorrow pervaded the courtroom as Andrew Dodt, the father of victim Peter, expressed his heartbreak over the ruling. "Our hopes are just shattered now," he lamented. He voiced his longing for an apology for the loss of his son, which remains unfulfilled.
Gamble's lawyer, Bethan Frake, echoed the sentiment of ongoing grief, stating that the incident has left lasting scars on the community. “Their loss is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” she quoted Ms. Gamble. This tragedy continues to leave an indelible mark on Devonport, a community of about 30,000 residents forever changed.
