September a Bleak Month as Farm Accidents Kill Young Children

Online, September 14, 2009 (Newswire.com) - You would think that in this day and age, farm accidents that leave young children dead would be a thing of the past, but not so. Babies and young children continue to be killed by farm animals and farm equipment after being placed in harms way, by adult caregivers! It's a tragic reminder that parents should not let common sense and child safety go by the wayside when spending time at a farm.

Here are some examples from recent headlines:

September 14, 2009 A Tyler, Texas boy, Cameron Pruett was run over and killed when riding as a passenger on a tractor. The adult relative reported that while riding and after a bump in the road, they lost their grip on the child and he fell off the tractor and was run over and killed. What was a young boy doing as a passenger on a tractor and was the only means of child safety that was employed an adult hand gripping him?

September 10, 2009 In Eagle Bend, Minnesota, a baby boy, Chrissie Miller was placed in his car seat in close proximity to the family horse and was stepped on and killed while family members did chores nearby. How does this happen? Did the horse break away from his tether or was the child left in harms way in his car seat?

September 7, 2009 in Farmington, Utah, a 5-year-old boy was run over and killed after being pinned underneath the trailer during a hayride outing with his family. What a horrible accident this must have been.

These incidents might seem like "freak accidents" but they underscore clearly the fact that young children are still vulnerable to farm accidents. Parents and those that supervise children in farm environments should learn from these accidents and take extra precautions to keep their children safe. There is no substitute for adult supervision but in hindsight, I'm sure those involved now realize these children were put in harms way with the worse possible outcome. Parents should take the time to proactively think about the dangers that lurk in the vicinity of their unsuspecting baby or young child when at a farm.

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