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Girl found hanging unconscious from equipment at Kidz Klub Playland & Café at Jamisontown
A six-year-old girl was rushed to hospital after being found hanging unconscious from equipment at a playland in Sydney’s west.
Just after 8am emergency services were called to Kidz Klub Playland & Café at Jamisontown where they found a girl unconscious at the scene. There were reports she may have become caught in her scarf on the monkey bars.
A CareFlight spokeswoman said their rapid response team was called at 8:34am and landed at nearby Jamison Park at 8:50am.
Paramedics from NSW Ambulance service were the first on the scene and transported the girl to the CareFlight helicopter where the emergency response doctor worked to stabilise the girl.
She was intubated and placed in an induced coma and then transported to Westmead Hospital by ambulance.
Penrith Police duty officer inspector David Ralph said the six-year-old was still being monitored but was doing well.
“The girl is coming good. They are still monitoring her but they will be gradually weaning her off the drugs keeping her under sedation,” Inspector Ralph said.
A spokeswoman for Ambulance NSW said they did not know how long she had been hanging there.
The girl became entangled in her clothing while playing on equipment in the centre and was found unconscious, the CareFlight spokeswoman said.
Kidz Klub Playland has been shut down and police are investigating exactly how the tragic incident happened.
When contacted by The Daily Telegraph, a woman at the centre said she had been asked by police not to speak to the media about the incident.
One parent who has a child at the centre said the monkey bars in question were in an area that was difficult to see if you weren’t in the immediate vicinity.
“The monkey bars are right at the back of the big play centre and you can’t really see unless you go in there,” Holly Flood wrote on Facebook.
“Maybe we should be looking at changing the set up in some I these things. That and ban scarves. I really hope she’s OK and there is no permanent damage mentally or physically for her.”
Other parents were quick to praise Kidz Club Playland and
“Both of my children go there and I can tell you that all the staff are fantastic and take the safety very serious. Unfortunately accidents do occur so I wish the child a speedy recovery and prayers to the family and all involved,” Maryanne Harris wrote.
“Ryan has been going there for two years they are a great centre. It is a unfortunate and very sad event. We had to finish work early as there is no care this arvo due to the circumstances. I hope the little girl makes a full recovery,” David Eathorne posted on Facebook.
A crime scene was established but police have now handed over investigations into the incident to WorkCover.
The Kidz Klub Playland and Cafe promotes itself as a before and after school care centre, which was confirmed by a Department of Education spokesman.
“Kidz Klub Pty Ltd is an approved provider under the Education and Care Service National Law Act 2010 to provide a before and after school care and vacation care service at Kidz Klub Playland and Café in Penrith,” the spokesman said.
Kidsafe NSW manager of playground advisory Kay Lockhart said provisions existed around requiring organisations to provde a safe environment for children for out of school care services.
“There is an Australian standard around clothing and toggle entrapment but the standard is not mandatory,” Mrs Lockhart.
“There are clauses detailing that centres must provide a safe environment. These clauses refer to clothing entrapment but these only address the problem of when a user is immediately undergoing forced movement.
“That means if they have to go down a slide or a fireman’s pole. Something like monkey bars would not be covered by this.”
Source: The Daily Telegraph, Ian Paterson and Wires, 7th August 2015
Originally published as: Girl found hanging unconscious from equipment at Kidz Klub Playland & Café at Jamisontown
