A toddler in Washington is dead after he fell off and was struck by a lawnmower driven by his father.
The 3-year-old boy died after he reportedly fell off a riding lawnmower and was struck by it near the city of Snohomish on Thursday, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a tweet.
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Responding to a tragic incident at the 6700 block of 203rd Ave (Snohomish) when a 3 YO riding the lawn mower with his father fell off and was run over by the mower. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
— Snohomish Sheriff (@SnoCoSheriff) April 27, 2018
“Witnesses reported that the boy fell off and went under the mower,” Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Shari Ireton told Q13 Fox. “The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The incident, which reportedly occurred at around 7:20 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, is being called a “tragic accident” by authorities, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office’s Major Crimes and Collision Investigation Unit stating that they will not be investigating the incident as there is no evidence of anything suspicious or criminal.
According to UW Medicine, lawnmowers are the major cause of foot and ankle amputations to children.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission fact sheet regarding riding lawnmowers states that children never be carried on riding lawnmowers.
“Never carry children, even with the blade(s) shut off. They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with safe mower operation. Children who have been given rides in the past may suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride and be run over or backed over by the machine,” she sheet states.
The fact sheet also warns that “Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the machine and the mowing activity,” adding that it is best to “turn machine off if a child enters the area.”
In April, Tori and Zach Roloff, of TLC’s popular series Little People, Big World, faced backlash from concerned fans after they posted a picture of Zach carrying infant son Jackson Roloff on his lap while on a riding lawnmower.
“Do you realize how dangerous that is, there have been multiple cases of children falling off, just by a simple bump, and the child has lost limbs if not death,” one person commented on the photo. “Please think and act to keep the child whole and alive please.”
Tori later responded to the concern by updating the caption of the image to inform fans that the mower was not on while little Jackson was sitting on his father’s lap.
