Strong winds played a role in a freak accident that seriously injured a toddler here in Georgia on Monday. Investigators say the 2-year-old boy was playing outside of Cribs to Crayons Preschool when a large tree limb fell on top of him.
"He was breathing on his own, he was in and out of consciousness. And they saw a mark on his head, but no obvious trauma to his head at the time," said Chief Matt Whiting of the Winder Fire Department.
Paramedics took him to Barrow Regional Medical Center, and from there he was air-lifted to Children's Hospital.
A couple hours later, Winder Police Code Enforcement came to check out the tree.
"The limb appeared to be a dead limb, in the neighborhood of 12 to 14 foot long, probably 8 to 10 inch diameter," said Whiting, who said that it weighed several hundred pounds.
The teachers at Cribs to Crayons were so upset over what they saw that they closed down the school and had parents pick up their children early. Many of them went to the hospital with the 2-year-old.
"It's just a freak accident, and it's devastating for both the family and the daycare. So our thoughts and prayers are going out to both families right now," said Whiting.
The code enforcement officer said that he does not believe the whole tree was dead; there are leaves that appear to be growing off it. There are were other dead branches that may need to come down before kids go back in the yard.
The boy is listed in serious but stable condition at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.
Saturday, May 25 2013 5:03 PM EDT2013-05-25 21:03:38 GMT
Three people remain at an Atlanta hospital a day after they were injured aboard a hotel shuttle bus that crashed with a tractor-trailer near the city's airport.
Three people remain at an Atlanta hospital a day after they were injured aboard a hotel shuttle bus that crashed with a tractor-trailer near the city's airport.
Saturday, May 25 2013 4:19 PM EDT2013-05-25 20:19:38 GMT
Georgia stands to lose $1.8 million in funding because state officials refuse to participate in a federal survey that asks high school and middle school students about their sexual history.
Georgia stands to lose $1.8 million in funding because state officials refuse to participate in a federal survey that asks high school and middle school students about their sexual history.
