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Bouncy castle death: Two charged with Summer Grant manslaughter

15th June 2017
Posted by BBC Essex News

Bouncy castle death: Two charged with Summer Grant manslaughter

Summer GrantImage copyright
Essex Police

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Paramedics were called to the park but Summer later died in hospital

Two people have been charged with manslaughter after a seven-year-old girl died when the bouncy castle she was playing on blew away.

Summer Grant, from Norwich, suffered serious injuries at a funfair in Harlow, Essex, in 2016.

Paramedics were called to Harlow Town Park but Summer died in hospital.

Essex Police said fairground workers Shelby Thurston, 25, and William Thurston, 28, had been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence.

The pair, from Whitecross Road, Wilburton, Cambridgeshire, have also been charged with failure to discharge a general health and safety duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

They are due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court next month.

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It is believed a strong gust of wind swept the dome-shaped inflatable that Summer had been playing on across the park

Police have said they want to trace a witness who was near the fairground rides at the time of the incident.

He was described as a young black man, believed to be in his teens, the force said.

At the opening of an inquest into Summer's death last April, Chelmsford Coroner's Court heard high winds had taken the dome-shaped inflatable "some distance".

The inquest was also told Summer was thought to have died from multiple injuries.

A vigil held in her memory in April saw about 200 people gather at the park and have a two-minute silence.

Original Article