THE mounting casualty toll from the catastrophic Astroworld Festival saw another increase this week, as a nine-year-old boy succumbed on Sunday night to the injuries accrued from his presence at rapper Travis Scott’s performance.
Attorneys representing the late Ezra Blount’s family confirmed this to CBS News. Ezra was allegedly trampled during the deadly crowd surge, according to the lawsuit that was filed by the child’s family.
“The Blount family [is] grieving the ultimate, incomprehensible loss of their precious young son,” the attorneys said in a statement.
“This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, a joyful celebration. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer.”
Attorneys for the family said last week that Blount had been placed in a medically induced coma to combat severe brain, liver and kidney trauma.
The mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner tweeted that he was saddened to learn of Ezra’s passing.
“Our city tonight prays for his mom, dad, grandparents, other family members and classmates at this time,” Turner’s tweet said. “They will need all of our support in the months and years to come. May God give them strength. (Rest in peace) Ezra.”
The boy’s family, who are suing Travis Scott and other concert organisers for negligence, said in the lawsuit that the boy was “kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death” during the surge.
Blount is the 10th person to die after attending the festival last weekend.
The ninth victim, Bharti Shahani passed away on Nov 10. Up until her passing, Bharti’s family claimed she had been on a ventilator, and that she showed no brain activity after her hospitalisation.
Videos floating around on Reddit and Twitter showed her being accidentally dropped on her head by Astroworld medics and police officers who were attempting to transport her unconscious body out of the festival.
“I know concerts might be about the music and girls having fun. But this was not a concert, right? I don’t know what it was, because my baby did not come back,” said Bharti’s mother during a heartbreaking press conference after the 22-year-old’s passing.
Scott and other festival organisers are facing numerous lawsuits stemming from the deadly concert. Scott has said he will pay for the funeral expenses of the victims and said he was “absolutely devastated by what took place.”
