We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE PARENTS OF a young girl who died in a bouncy castle accident have released statements about their daughter.
Summer Grant, aged seven and from Norwich, died after an incident at an Easter fair in Harlow Town Park on Saturday afternoon.
In a statement released by Essex Police today, her mother Cara Blackie said:
Words just can’t explain how I am feeling right now, life is just truly cruel. Summer was a bright beautiful and most loving little girl [it's] so unfair that you have been taken, it just doesn’t make sense, I’m truly heartbroken.
Her father Lee Grant said:
I never thought our beautiful angel would be taken away from us or that we would outlive her. She was the most happy, polite and beautiful girl in the world. I still can’t come to terms she’s not here. We all love you so, so much, you will always be with us; love you to the moon and back, all our love Daddy, Mummy and family xxxx.
Yourharlow.com reported that the emergency services were called to Harlow Town Park just after 4pm on Saturday after a bouncy castle, with the young girl inside, came off its moorings and blew over 150 metres further down the park.
Police said that a 24-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, both from Cambridgeshire, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence and have been bailed pending further enquiries until 4 May.
Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are looking to speak to anybody who has any information or who witnessed the incident.
They can be contacted by email – scdappeals@essex.pnn.police.uk – or by calling 101 and quoting incident number 737.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Simon don’t be cruel. She is just a baby who tragically lost her life. RIP
I Never Find The Right Word’s …. I Just Want Too Say Sorry ….
Sad very sad but why put up a bouncy castle outside if its too windy someone should get locked up for this..
Why let your kids go on a castle on a windy day, parents have the ultimate responsibillity here to keep their child safe. Trampolines bought by parents blow away in the wind as well, a bit of cop on required
Parents should always supervise bouncy castles to keep them safe, instead of using them as a child minder, out of sight out of mind. Accidents only happen when parents abdicate responsibility normally very safe and enjoyed safely by most kids
so you reckon a responsible parent would have been able to hold down the bouncy castle when that sudden gust of wind pulled it from it’s security ropes, ripping the steak right out from the ground? wow. super mom
No but a responsible mum might have seen a wind building up and thought maybe we will give the castle a miss for a while. And to be fair the operator should have switched it off then it would not have blown away
John. I agree there should be adults supervising bouncy castles at all times. But there have been loads of broken bones, injuries and some fatalities from them. A dozen kids of different sizes jumping up and down in a small space? What could possibly go wrong..
Kids of different ages should never be mixed on a bouncy castle, you wouldn’t have different aged kids playing outside a castle?
Proper attentive supervision would prevent any broken bones by controlling the one or two little scrotes who turn up everywhere and don’t know how to play without horsing into other kids.
Castles are rarely supervised properly as you are trying to control,other people’s badly behaved kids, which can be tricky, as giving the worst little maggots a clip is frowned upon!
Kids come in all shapes and sizes. Do you only let 3 yr olds on and upset all the tall 5 yr olds. I was at a festival in the summer and there were at least 4 adults supervising a very tall bouncing slide. They were very efficient and everyone took their turn and took their time on the slide. But there was absolute mayhem and tears in the queues and the kids were awful upset and offended at having to wait so long. And as you said there were a few little scrotes sneaking up and putting everyone at risk.
Kids do get upset when they don’t get their own way, sometimes to protect them from themselves. It’s called proper parenting. Too many parents are scared of their kids, too scared to save them from themselves. There is an element of common sense required when supervising kids, some people don’t got it, and the old Irish “sure they’ll be grand” is used as an excuse, until someone gets hurt.
`By all accounts John it was a freak gust of wind, that is, nobody expected it. Does responsible parenting now entail being psychic as well?
So according to you the suppliers should be psychic but the parents not so much
So sad. People just don’t realise that they are bloody dangerous
Poor little thing. Kids just love bouncey castles, dont they. Lots of broken bones and sprains and now this girl has lost her life. Some of them are very high up too with massive slides. Very scary…
The people in charge of this should be locked up. This should not have happened. Heartfelt condolences to the parents.
A touch knee jerk from someone with none of the facts, at the very least way less than the investigators are trying to establish, and they are actually there not reading it in a website
You are an awful self righteous fool John.
Seriously. There’s a time and a place for your smug sanctimony. The time is never and the place is back under whatever rock you crawled out from under.
Thanks Fergal and your opinion or contribution other than some bizarre sanctimony of your own is ……….
Are you related ? To anyone?
For future reference the idea is you read the comments then formulate an opinion, then you type it in and press send.
If you only have insults then best to let the grown ups speak
Such terrible news poor little girl,
My little lads 5th birthday is in two weeks I have booked a bouncy castle I am now thinking twice, I have also had a few parents say the same don’t know what to do for the best,
have your say