Rosemary Anne Gamble, the operator of the bouncy castle involved in a tragic incident in 2021 that claimed the lives of six children, has been acquitted of breaching safety laws.
A Tasmanian court ruled that the incident was caused by an unprecedented weather event—a dust devil—that was “impossible to predict.”
The tragedy occurred during a primary school fun day at Hillcrest Primary School, where children aged between 11 and 12 were playing on the inflatable.
Strong winds suddenly lifted the castle approximately 10 meters into the air, causing it to be flung across the school oval. Five children on the castle were thrown from it, while a sixth child waiting in line was struck and died.
Prosecutors had argued that Gamble failed to adequately anchor the inflatable, but her defense highlighted the severity of the weather event, which was deemed unforeseeable.
Magistrate Robert Webster stated, “Had she taken further steps, it would have made no difference to the outcome.”
The court’s decision has deeply upset the victims’ families. Andrew Dodt, father of one of the victims, Peter, expressed his devastation, saying, “Our hopes are just shattered now. All I wanted was an apology for my son not coming home, and I’m never going to get it.”
Gamble’s lawyer, Bethan Frake, conveyed her client’s and her own emotional toll, saying, “The scars will remain for a long time. As a mother, I understand the pain of these parents.”
The incident remains a heartbreaking reminder of the unpredictable forces of nature and the importance of safety measures in outdoor events.
