RSSSix-Year-Old Dies in ATV Crash in Lakeland
Early in September, a 6-year-old child and an 8-year-old child were spending time together in the Polk County city of Lakeland. According to a report from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the two children were riding around on an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) along a track covered in dirt somewhere within the city limits. It is not clear if the children were in the woods or if the track was somewhere within sight of homes. It is also not clear if either of the children’s parents were at the scene to monitor what the children were doing and ensure that they were not engaged in anything too dangerous.
The 8-year-old was riding the ATV and the 6-year-old was sitting on the back of the vehicle. The report stated that at the outset of their adventure the two were wearing helmets, but that they had both removed the protective wear at some point during the day and, at some point after they removed the helmets, the 8-year-old lost control of the vehicle.
Investigators into the incident state that the child piloted the ATV into two piles of dirt, and that the sudden change of terrain caught them off guard. The ATV then flipped over and landed on top of the 6-year-old.
Just how the children’s parents were notified is not clear, but the family loaded their badly injured child into a car and rushed him to a nearby fire station. The EMTs at the station began to treat the 6-year-old for their injuries, quickly determining that the wounds suffered in the incident were far more intense than could be treated at the station. They then took the boy to a hospital in nearby Tampa where the child received attention by doctors and nurses employed by the medical facility.
The reports did not indicate just how long the child was alive once they reached the hospital, but it is known that they were declared dead at the medical center.
The 8-year-old did not suffer from any injuries as a result of the incident.
Currently, the accident is under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Sources:
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.