The tragic scene unfolded at a Mislata Christmas Fair when an inflatable castle suddenly malfunctioned, leaving two young girls injured. One mother described how her daughter Vera, just four years old, was playing near the structure when the inflatable began to rise unexpectedly, driven by a strong gust of wind. In that moment, a loose thread near the front edge let the structure pull away, lifting Vera and the nearby dolls into the air before tumbling to the ground. The mother recounted that Vera was wearing shoes that were just being put on when the chaos began and that a loud scream pierced the air as the castle shifted. The wind carried the top of the inflatable higher, lifting Vera briefly off the ground before she landed and became still on the floor. The scene was chaotic, and bystanders rushed to help, but the movement of the structure and the rapid turn of events left little time for any rescue effort.
Statements from those nearby describe a moment when the crowd realized the danger and the emergency responders were called. The mother of Vera urged calm as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She indicated that the wind had already increased that afternoon, creating conditions not suitable for such entertainment equipment. The right front corner of the inflatable castle showed signs of stress, and observers noted that the swelling of the structure rose suddenly as the rope tension gave way. A nearby spectator recalled attempting to grab the rope to stabilize the castle but could not secure it in time. The incident led to Vera being knocked to the ground and sustaining fatal injuries on impact with other elements of the ride, marking a heartbreaking moment for the family and witnesses alike.
“I was helping with the shoes when the structure shifted, and then the swelling rose”, the mother recalled. “A scream cut through the crowd, and when I looked up, the ride was lifting off the ground.”
As the crowd watched in disbelief, the gusts continued to affect the castle, causing further instability. Those nearby described how the ride’s rope system snapped and how the top portion of the inflatable separated from its base, lifting Vera off the platform and sending her toward a nearby barrier. Attempts to intervene were hindered by the speed of the event, leaving onlookers and family members grappling with shock and fear. The aftermath raised questions about safety measures and the chain of responsibility during the fair setting. The focus shifted to the people responsible for ticketing and operation of the castle, who were questioned by authorities but there were denials about who controlled the times of use and access to the attraction. A staff member and the fairground owner were identified as individuals connected to the ride, though direct confirmation of who issued the tickets remained a point of contention for investigators. A witness suggested that a young man was the child participant, but this was disputed by those present, including Vera’s mother, who insisted that the child needed proper eyewear to see clearly and was not in control of her own movement that afternoon.
According to statements given to prosecutors, wind conditions had become significant minutes before the event, and the family had noted the weather changing at the fair. A video clip captured Vera jumping on trampolines earlier in the day, with her husband heard telling her that the wind was picking up. The tale of what happened next remains contested as investigators gather testimonies from the carnival workers, including the person responsible for the machinery and the engineer who assessed the ride’s safety. The case continues to unfold as authorities review the sequence of events, the equipment’s maintenance records, and the wind conditions at the time of the tragedy. The ongoing inquiries seek to determine responsibility and to understand precisely how such a fatal accident could have occurred at a family-friendly event. [citation: Prosecutor’s office notes]