A 9-year-old boy in Brentwood, Tennessee, died Tuesday following a tragic sledding accident. Campbell Martin, a Scales Elementary student, passed away at a hospital Tuesday afternoon after the tube he was riding on with three other children collided with a mailbox on Seward Road.
According to the Brentwood Police Department, the fatal accident occurred as the boy’s father was pulling the tube by an ATV. The tube reportedly collided with a mailbox, and the 9-year-old was critically injured. He was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he later died. The three other children were not injured in the collision. In a statement, Brentwood Police said, “Our hearts go out to this family during this time. This tragedy serves as a reminder of the dangers that can be associated with sledding.” The death remains under investigation by Brentwood police.
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In the wake of his passing, a GoFundMe page has been created to raise money for the family. As of this posting, the page has raised more than $55,000.Following the accident, Scales Elementary Principal Melonye Lowe released a statement to the Tennessean, which read, “Campbell was loved by our students and staff. He had a sweet smile and a kind and respectful spirit. He loved sports and he played as hard as he worked.” The statement added that Campbell was such a positive light in his classroom every day” and “will forever be loved and missed by our Scales family.”
Tennessee, along with many other states, has seen several rounds of winter weather this week alone. As a result, many have taken to outdoor activities, which have resulted in numerous accidents. On the same day as Campbell’s death, a 3-year-old boy in Franklin, Tennessee, plunged into the Harpeth River after his sled failed to stop. His mother jumped into the water to rescue him. The child was pulled from the water, though his mother had to be rescued by Franklin Fire Department. She was transported to the hospital with a leg injury. According to Pediatric ER Doctor Marla Levine with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, about 50% of their patients Tuesday were children injured in sledding accidents. Levine told News 2, “we had kiddos coming in with abdominal injuries, head injuries…life-threatening injuries.”
As a result, officials are reminding parents and children to exercise precautions as they head out to enjoy the winter weather. Brentwood Police reminded people that children should have adult supervision when sledding and people should avoid “sledding in areas where there are any obstacles such as fences, trees, poles, etc.” They also advised never to have a sled pulled by a vehicle and never sled around lakes and other bodies of water.
