The owner of a climbing wall in Amsterdam is questioning the cause of a fatal accident as outlined by the police. The man, along with a co-director, is accused of manslaughter following the death of an eleven-year-old boy.
The boy was at the climbing gym on November 3, 2023, for a children’s birthday party. After a brief introduction by instructors, four parents were given responsibility for a total of eleven children. Things went wrong with the victim.
The loop of his rope was not attached to the carabiner; instead, the rope was completely threaded through. When the boy wanted to descend, the rope came loose, and he fell from a height of approximately 14 meters. According to police investigation, this is the most likely scenario.
The owner of the climbing wall suspects that the boy opened the carabiner himself while climbing. He bases this on a clicking sound – metal on metal – that was observed by the man who was supervising the victim from the ground. According to the suspect, this raises the question of whether a mistake was made at all.
The accusation against the owner and his colleague is that there was insufficient supervision by the instructors of the inexperienced parents and children who were climbing for the first time. The instructors were also expected to perform catering tasks. When the boy fell, both instructors were not in the vicinity.
Parents accuse owner of gambling with child’s life
In the climbing gym, a quarter of an hour is typically spent on explanation and a quarter of an hour on practice. For the last half hour, adults can supervise the children independently. That went well for twenty minutes, after which the accident occurred.
The boy’s parents are devastated after the death of their eldest son. In their victim statements, they paint a picture of their lives being destroyed. They accuse the owner and manager of not taking any responsibility and of gambling with their child’s life.