What parents should know before sending kids to concerts in light of Astroworld tragedy

Ninth-grader John Hilgert, 14, and junior Brianna Rodriguez, 16, were killed in the crush of spectators at the Houston festival.

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Monday, November 8, 2021
What parents should know before sending kids to concerts
Following the Astroworld tragedy, questions are circulating about whether it's safe for parents to leave their children unsupervised at concerts.

HOUSTON -- Among the eight young people who died at a Travis Scott concert in Houston's Astroworld music festival Friday, two were high schoolers, making the tragedy all the more shocking to parents of teenagers.

Ninth-grader John Hilgert, 14, and junior Brianna Rodriguez, 16, were killed in the crush of spectators at NRG Park. Five of the 25 hospitalized were under the age of 18, including a 10-year-old who remains in critical condition.

They were among the many kids who attended Astroworld this weekend, and now, questions are circulating about whether it's safe for parents to leave their children unsupervised at these mega-events.

MORE: What we know about victims of the Astroworld Festival disaster

A ninth grader, a 16-year-old and a 21-year-old were among the eight victims who died Friday night at NRG Park, according school administrators and family.

According to Astroworld's website, the sold-out, two-day event with 50,000 people in attendance did not have an age requirement. ABC News reached out to Live Nation, the event organizer, for further clarification on its age requirements but has not heard back.

Experts, however, say parents can strategize ways to make sure their kids avoid danger at future events.

MORE: 1st lawsuit filed after 8 people died at Astroworld Festival

As names of victims emerged in the deadly stage surge horror at the Astroworld Festival concert in Houston, authorities search for answers.

First, research an artist's previous performances to identify any past safety issues.

Scott's high-energy performances are known for being chaotic and fun-filled shows with concertgoers encouraged to take part in a raucous nature involving mosh pits, crowd surfing and stage diving, the Associated Press reported.

In 2017, Scott was arrested after he encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, leaving a security guard, a police officer and several others injured during a concert in Arkansas. In a separate incident, he was sentenced to one year of court supervision after pleading guilty to reckless conduct charges stemming from a 2015 incident in Chicago at the Lollapalooza music festival.

At the time, Chicago officials said Scott encouraged fans to vault security barricades. However, no one was injured.

"Make sure they have assigned seats and they're not in that standing-room-only area where there is that risk of there being a rush to the stage or stampede or even being smooshed by the crowd," said Ericka Souter, a parenting expert and author of "How to Have a Kid and a Life."

Parents should also ensure that their children determine a meeting point and create an exit strategy.

EXPLAINER: What is a crowd surge? Crushing deaths at events like Astroworld have long history