Pictured: Tragic ‘dinosaur lover’ boy, 5, who died when strong winds lifted bounce house he was playing in 20ft in the air and dumped it inside baseball stadium

A photo has been released of a five-year-old dinosaur-loving boy who died after a bouncy castle he was playing in was lifted 20 feet into the air by high winds and launched into a baseball stadium.

The tragic incident occurred around 9:12 p.m. Friday night when a bouncy castle full of children crashed onto a field during a Southern Maryland Blue Crabs game in Waldorf, Charles County.

The bouncy castle was originally set up for children at Regency Furniture Stadium, but in an odd twist, it was blown into the air by a gust of wind, over a wall, and crashed onto the field midway through the game.

The local emergency services were already stationed at the match and, together with trainers and medical staff, were able to be on site immediately.

Declan Hicks, 5, of La Plata, was taken by state police helicopter to a children’s hospital but was later pronounced dead, the county said. Another child was also taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

The tragic incident occurred Friday after the bounce house full of children crashed into a field in Waldorf, Charles County.

The accident happened at Regency Furniture Stadium, where families had gathered to watch the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs play

After his death a GoFundMe was erected in memory of the young boy, in an attempt to support his distraught family.

‘They say parenting is hard, but nothing is harder than losing a child, especially something so innocent that no parent would expect.

“That day family, friends, and the world lost a dinosaur lover, a ninja turtle fan, and a crazy 5-year-old, sock-wearing (and boot-wearing!) son, Declan Hicks,” the heartbreaking post read.

‘Declan was part of the Blessed Lambs Preschool family for 3 years. He was a very special little boy who brought light and laughter to all who had the pleasure of knowing him. To know him was to love him.

“He was a great friend and a fan favorite in his class of 4 year olds, not only with other children, but also with his teachers. Our hearts weep for his family and our school family.

‘We know that no amount of money can bring back this beautiful life, but we hope to help his family through this difficult time.

“Declan was not just a son, but a brother and was so loved by his family. We know it would be greatly appreciated if we could surround them with love and support at this time.”

The La Plata Blue Knights Football and Cheerleading Organization also paid tribute to the member of their flag football team via Facebook.

“We would like to take this opportunity to mourn the loss of #9 Declan Hicks, a member of our flag football team, who passed away far too soon as a result of Friday’s incident at Blue Crabs Stadium,” they wrote.

‘We express our sincere condolences to his parents, family, friends, coaches and teammates.

A GoFundMe page in the boy’s honor read: “He was a very special little boy who brought light and laughter to all who had the pleasure of knowing him.”

The bouncy castle was seen upside down and in a sagging condition after the accident

The Blue Crabs have cancelled their upcoming game and are offering counseling to the affected families

‘The LaPlata Blue Knights will dedicate this upcoming fall season to Declan’s memory. All flag players and cheerleaders will wear a patch and all tackle football players will have his number on their helmet.

“We are incredibly grateful that all the teams in SMYAC have offered to honor Declan by having their players wear his number as well.

‘Always in our hearts and forever a Blue Knight, rest in honor, Declan’.

The Blue Crabs have cancelled their upcoming game and are offering counseling to the affected families.

Courtney Knichel, executive director of the Blue Crabs, said, “Our entire organization extends its condolences to the family who is grieving the loss of a child, and we are concerned for the child who was injured.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them all,” she added.

Footage of the incident shows the bouncy castle on the baseball field hanging upside down and shocked players and bystanders gathering to understand what happened.

Witnesses said the inflatable object was secured with stakes driven into the ground, NBC Washington.

In a statement, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs General Manager Courtney Knichel said the team “shares our condolences with the family who is grieving the loss of a child, and our concerns for the child who was injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them.”

According to a study by the University of Georgia, inflatables are the cause of many injuries each year. Between 2021 and 2022, at least 28 people died and 479 were injured in wind-related inflatable accidents.