General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 5 year old's touch sends on-loan sculpture crashing to floor. Kansas City bills parents 132K [View all]pnwmom
(109,049 posts)and it was improperly secured, so that it could cause harm. It didn't belong in a place like a community center, frequented by families -- not unless it was cordoned off and properly signed.
The community center is lucky that the child wasn't seriously injured, because it could have been sued by the parents.
https://realestate.findlaw.com/owning-a-home/dangers-to-children-attractive-nuisances.html
Children are playful and curious traits which are important for learning and exploration, but which can also land them in dangerous situations. Everyday objects on other people's property can irresistibly draw children onto the property, but also present them with hidden dangers.
If your property contains items that both draw children in and threaten them with harm, the law places a special responsibility on you to take steps to protect the children who may come onto your property. This duty is generally called the "attractive nuisance" doctrine.
Typically, the attractive nuisance doctrine has three components:
The law doesn't expect children to fully comprehend the dangers they may face
If a property owner has reason to believe that children might come onto their property, the law places a special responsibility on them to prevent harm
If an owner fails to meet this responsibility, they will most likely be held liable for the child's injuries.