Parker Law Firm, PLC

Bounce House Owner Sued For Elderly Woman's Death

Reporting Jack Fink
DENTON (CBS 11 News)
KTVT / KTXA

Bounce houses are fun for kids, and you expect them to stay safe while they're on the inside.

But one family says it's what happened on the outside to an adult that has them suing a North Texas company.

Donna Minke remains heart-broken over the death of her aunt, 84-year-old Doris Crawford. Minke said, "Everything had begun so good and had ended up tragic."

One year ago this week, Crawford visited Minke and Minke's young grandkids. They went to Wazoo's Argyle, so the children could play in bounce-houses.

Minke says she warned Crawford to stand away from the side of the bounce house as she watched the kids.

But Minke says two 12-year-old boys began jumping aggressively in the same bounce house as her grandchildren. Minke says, "When they did that, that bounce house went out so far that it knocked my aunt backwards. It projected her across the room."

Minke says Crawford suffered a broken right hip and needed surgery at the hospital the next morning.

But two hours before it was scheduled, Crawford died of a heart attack. Minke says, "Well, I just couldn't believe it. It was such a nightmare."

Now, Crawford's daughters, who live outside of North Texas, are suing the owner of Wazoo's Argyle for unspecified damages, claiming wrongful death and pain and suffering.

Their attorney Brad Parker says, "They knew or should have known something like this could have happened, and they should have had adequate staff to prevent big kids from getting into a house with small kids, and prevent the kids from aggressively jumping."

Wazoo's is now out of business and its owner, Lesley Manuel, declined to comment. But in court documents, she and her attorney deny any responsibility for Crawford's death.

As for Donna Minke, she says, "I've lost one of the dearest people I've ever known."