A memorial of flowers and plush toys has emerged in a LaSalle park where a three-year-old girl was fatally injured in an accident at a church event.
A sudden windstorm on Sunday afternoon swept up several inflatable play structures in Ouellette Park, including a bouncy castle with children inside. Eleven people were injured. According to Environment Canada, wind speeds in Montreal reached up to 40 km/h on Sunday afternoon.
The girl has been identified as Ava Ciampini, daughter of Luca and Arielle and older sister of baby Milan.
A memorial grows near the spot where three-year-old Ava Ciampini was injured in Ouellette Park in the LaSalle district of Montreal, as seen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette
Community members were seen visiting the memorial on Wednesday afternoon, leaving notes and gifts to honour the child’s life.
“I’m so sorry sweet baby girl,” one of the notes read. “Watch over your parents and your little brother. LaSalle and so many are shattered.”
A memorial grows near the spot where three-year-old Ava Ciampini was injured in Ouellette Park in the LaSalle district of Montreal, as seen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette
Community support for the family has been overwhelming: a GoFundMe campaign created by a family friend and business partner of Luca Ciampini, Stefano Giliati, had generated more than $385,000 as of Wednesday evening.
“In the middle of this grief, the last thing this family should have to think about is the financial burden that comes with saying goodbye to their little girl,” Giliati writes. “This fundraiser is to help cover Ava’s funeral and memorial expenses, and to give Luca, Arielle and Milan the space and time to grieve and be together without the added weight of financial stress.”
The Quebec coroner’s office is investigating the incident to establish the circumstances and cause of Ava’s death.
A memorial grows near the spot where three-year-old Ava Ciampini was injured in Ouellette Park in the LaSalle district of Montreal, as seen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette
Leora Schertzer is a reporter at the Montreal Gazette who thrives on the chase. Whether it’s producing a documentary about sewage or investigating a Nazi gold scandal, it’s the novelty and adrenaline that keep her in this challenging industry. Send her tips at lschertzer@postmedia.com.
lschertzer@postmedia.com
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