The death of an eleven -year -old boy in an Amsterdam climbing hall leads to astonishment about the lack of legal safety requirements in Klimhallen in the Netherlands. There is also no external control.
The question in the courtroom is whether the owners of the climbing wall in Amsterdam can be blamed for the boy to died at the end of November 2023 after a fall. The child sustained serious brain injury and died a few hours later in the hospital.
According to the police, the most likely scenario that the victim’s loop was not tied to a carabiner, but that the rope had been completely pierced. When the boy wanted to descend, the rope shot and fell down from about 14 meters high.
The boy was at a children’s party in the Amsterdam climbing hall. After fifteen minutes of instruction and fifteen minutes of practicing, he was independently climbing under the supervision of one of the parents of a total of ten children. This is how it works at De Klimmuur in Amsterdam and the remaining eleven climbing halls of the company. Instructors supervise distance.
That is too little and with that the company did not meet its duty of care, the Public Prosecution Service said on Monday. The officer came to a 120 -hour sentence for Youri J. and Peter K., the owners of the climbing hall.
There is no fixed guidelines
Wednesday it was the defense’s turn. In a joint plea, lawyers Chiem Peters and Mark-Jan Bouwman stated that the cause of the accident is not certain. That makes it impossible to point out a culprit. According to the lawyers, it is impossible to rule out that the boy himself has opened the carabiner or that running the rope has something to do with it. That is why acquittal must follow.
The lawyers aloud the question whether this case belongs to criminal law at all. To designate a guilty party, it is necessary to establish a different behavior of fixed laws or rules. When it comes to one -off climbers – such as at children’s parties – they are not there.
They were also not imposed from the outside by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport or the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. They also do not supervise.
The climbing world has its own organizations that are about safety within the Klimhallen. An article in Het Parool shows that the companies work according to guidelines that depend on the union to which the climbing hall is connected. There was no guideline for non-independent climbing like a children’s party. After the boy’s death, a new guideline has been thought about within the climbing world, but it is still in the concept phase.
The owners say they have done everything to make climbing in their hall safe. The court will rule on June 20.
The Death of An Eleven-Year-Old Boy in An Amsterdam Climbing Hall Leads to Surprise About The Lack of Legal Safety Requirements in Climbing Halls in the Netherlands. There is also no external control.
The Question in the Courtroom is Whether the owners of the Climbing Wall in Amsterdam Can Be Blamed for the Boy’s Death After a Fall in Late November 2023. The Child Suffered Severe Brain Damage and died later in The Hospital.
Accordance to the Police, the most likely scenario is that the Victim’s Loop was not attached to a carabiner, but that the rope was completely threaded through. When the Boy Wanted to Descend, The Rope Came Loose and He Fell From About 14 Meters High.
The Boy was at a children’s party in the Amsterdam Climbing Hall. After Fifteen Minutes of Instruction and Fifteen Minutes of Practice, he was Climbing Independently Under The Supervision of One of the Parents of A Total of Ten Children. This is how it works at the climbing wall in Amsterdam and the other eleven climbing halls of the company. Instructors Supervise from A distance.
That is not Enough and Therefore the Company Did not meet its duty of care, the public prosecution service stateed on Monday. The officer demanded a sentence of 120 Hours for Youri J. and Peter K., The Owners of the Climbing Hall.
The Lack of Fixed Guidelines
On Wednesday it was the Defense’s turn. In a joint plea, lawyers chiem peters and mark-jan bouwman stateed that the cause of the accident is not certain. This makes it impossible to identify a culprit. Accordance to the lawyers, it cannot be ruled out that the boy himself opened the carabiner or that the turning of the rope had something to do with it. Therefore, Acquittal must follow.
The Lawyers Openly Questioned WHETER THIS CASE EVEN BONGONGS in Criminal Law. To designate a culprit, it is necessary to establish a deviant act from fixed laws or rules. When it comes to one-off climbers-Such as at children’s parties-they do not exist.
These are also not imposed from outside by the ministry of health, welfare and sport or the Netherlands food and consumer product Safety Authority. They also do not carry out supervision.
The Climbing World has its own organizations that deal with safety within the climbing halls. An article in Het Parool Shows That the Companies Work Accordance to Guidelines That Depend on the Association to which the Climbing Hall is affiliated. There was no guideline for non-industry climbing, such as at a children’s party. After the Boy’s Death, The Climbing World Did Consider a New Guuideline, But It is Still In The Concept Phase.
The owners say they do done everything they can to make climbing safe in their hall. The Court Will Pronounce Judgment on June 20.