Hillcrest School Inquest: Seeking Answers for Tragedy

0:00A coronial inquest into the heartbreaking Hillcrest Primary School tragedy in Northwest Tasmania could kick off this year. Five years ago on December 16, a sudden gust of wind at the Devonport School lifted a jumping castle off its anchors during end of year, celebrations, killing six kids, Zayn Meller, Peter Dot, Jalela Jane Marie Jones, Addison Stewart, Jai Shehan, and Chase Harrison, and seriously, injuring three others. The inquest got paused back when a criminal case wrapped up last June, where a jumping castle on a rosemary gamble was found not guilty of safety duty, failures. Now, with that behind them, lawyers have handed over massive files, 500 exhibits, and 2,700 documents to families, government departments, and other parties involved. Dozens of victims' relatives and their lawyers packed the Devonport magistrates court this week, either in person or on video, showing how raw this still feels for everyone.

1:00The community remembers those young lies lost on what should have been a joyful day, and folks are pushing for answers to prevent repeats. Council assisting the corner laid out the inquest's focus. Digging into each death's circumstances, the castle's setup and operation, manufacturer, instructions, weather conditions, and Australian standards, plus recommendations for the future. They plan to call at least 16 expert witnesses, though that list might expand. Officials hope to start hearings in the next nine months, but challenges like re-inflating and inspecting the castle, plus cramming everyone into a courtroom, could push things. They might use a convention center, or split sessions, with written submissions due by May 6th, and another hearing set for May 28th, keeping momentum toward closure for those grieving families. With any news today, powered by AI bringing you what matters, I'm Corey with The Story.