Tragedy struck last weekend when two young boys were separately run over and killed by a haunted hayride pulled by a tractor. Among them was a young boy who was trying to scare other Halloween-goers.
Samuel Jessen, 12, died just before 11pm on Friday after he and other children jumped from a bush into the hay in an attempt to scare passengers at the Haunted Hilltop in Harrison, Tennessee. The Chattanooga Free Press reported.
“Deputies were advised that one of the juveniles may have attempted to jump onto the trailer, slipped and fallen under the wheels, and was found unresponsive.” This was announced by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department.
“Unfortunately, the boy succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Witnesses told the Free Press that a group of passengers tried to help Jessen after his foot became trapped under the tractor's wheel.
“The moment his leg got stuck under the wheel, we started yelling at the tractor driver to stop,” Caitlin Birch said, noting that the driver continued driving.
“Everyone was panicking, but we still had to sit on that ride for 10 minutes until it finished,” she added.
The next day, another boy was struck and killed by a tractor-drawn wagon during an annual Halloween event in St. Augusta, Minnesota.
At approximately 7:37 p.m. Saturday, authorities were called to reports that 13-year-old Alexander Mick had been hit by a tractor at the Harvest of Horror Haunted Hayride. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
“Personnel and bystanders, including off-duty police officers and off-duty medics, immediately began relief efforts,” officials wrote.
Despite lifesaving efforts by first responders, Mick was pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said.
Mick, from the nearby town of Rice, was “an amazingly unique child who truly loved Jesus,” his mother, Terry Mick, wrote on Facebook. According to WCCO.
“He was full of energy, had a junior black belt in Taekwondo, played drums on the worship team, was in the band, sang in the choir, was active in robotics, soccer, and was almost an Eagle Scout.” she wrote.
“Hold your baby tight. I'll do anything to hold my baby again.”
The incident remains under investigation, according to Stearns County officials.
