Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne

(CNN) — A 2-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighboring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said.

The toddler, Bodhi Naaf, is the son of Phoenix firefighter Karl Naaf, according to the United Phoenix Firefighters Local 493 union.

While multiple children were in the bounce house at the time of the April 27 incident in Casa Grande, the toddler and another child were the only ones taken to the hospital, according to the Pinal County Sherriff’s Office.

The other child did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

“This appears to have been a tragic accident,” Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lauren Reimer said in a statement. “We would like to extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the grieving family.”

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says bounce houses should be staked and anchored and wind speeds should be no more than 15 to 25 mph at the time of use.

In its news release, the sheriff’s office did not say whether the bounce house in this case was staked and anchored. Wind gusts in the area exceeded 20 mph around the time of the incident.

A 2022 study by the American Meteorological Society reported 132 wind-related bounce house incidents worldwide from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2021. The society reported 479 injuries and 28 fatalities stemming from these events.

Karl Naaf and his wife, Cristy, are expecting their second child this month, according to a GoFundMe organized by a family friend and reposted by Phoenix Fire Department Engine 25’s social media.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the fundraiser has raised over $155,000 of its $100,000 goal.

CNN’s Robert Shackelford contributed to this report.

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