A Magisterial Inquiry into the tragic accident involving a three-year-old toddler whose head got mangled in a merry-go-round in a San Gwann playing field two years ago concluded that such equipment needs to be removed immediately.
The inquiry, concluded last month by Magistrate Michael Mallia, found that merry-go-rounds of the kind that led to the boy’s serious injuries are extremely dangerous for children because of their design.
In fact, the magistrate sent a copy of his conclusions to the Malta Playing Fields Association to ensure that wherever such merry-go-rounds are present, they are replaced with others that do not pose the same hazards for children.
The case will be treated tonight on One TV’s programme Wara l-Kaz, where the father of the child, Joseph Zammit, will recount the tragic ordeal that his family had to go through after a split-second accident that took him unawares and that was potentially fatal.
The accident happened on 20 June 2006, when Zammit was with his mother-in-law and his two children at the San Gwann playing field.
At one point, the son was sitting on a merry-go-round while his father turned towards his daughter who was on a swing, when he heard his son shouting. Upon looking back, Zammit saw his son’s leg caught in the platform, with his part of his head caught on the upper part of the seat.
The child was rushed to hospital, where he was found to be unconscious and in danger of dying. He was operated with urgency on 7 July and kept at the Intensive Care Unit until his condition turned for the better.
The magistrate ruled that nobody was responsible for the tragic accident.
“There was no negligence from the side of whoever was in charge of the children… but there is no doubt that this kind of merry-go-rounds must be removed as soon as possible,” Magistrate Mallia ruled. “They are dangerous for the children who use them, because of their very design.”
According to an audit commissioned by former Children’s Commissioner Sonia Camilleri in 2006, at least 46% of playing fields were found lacking in safety standards. Also, places where children can play safely are decreasing as more and more open spaces are being built up while others prohibit children from playing.

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