Child Killed In Lawn Mower Accident - 6-Year-Old Boy Crushed Under Riding Mower

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[chance33_98]

Child Killed In Lawn Mower Accident
6-Year-Old Boy Crushed Under Riding Mower

POSTED: 6:12 p.m. EDT June 25, 2002 UPDATED: 7:06 p.m. EDT June 25, 2002

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. -- A 6-year-old boy was killed Monday when a 1,000-pound lawn mower crushed him, Portsmouth police said.

News Channel 10's Larry Estepa reported that Paul Carey III and a 9-year-old cousin jumped on the back of the riding mower to finish cutting the grass at their grandfather's home on Bristol Ferry Road.

When they finished, the older child jumped off the lawn mower. But police said the machine began to roll backward down a slope. Carey apparently tried to stop it, but the lawn mower rolled over the boy and crushed him.

Estepa said adults used tools and lumber to pry the lawn mower off Carey, but he was pronounced dead at Newport Hospital.

Carey's father is a lobsterman who got news of the accident at sea and rushed back to shore.

The attorney general's office and the Department of Children, Youth and Families are investigating. Portsmouth police call the tragedy an accident.

[chance33_98]

Prayers for those involved - sad story and serves as a reminder to be safe to all.

[camle]

what kind of lunatic allows children to play ona lawn mower???

[11th Earl of Mar]

My ten year old son has been cutting the grass on our riding lawn mower since last year.

[chance33_98]

Someone probably removed all the safety stickers, so the parents were not able to know that such behavior was dangerous ;)

[camle]

I appreciate your point, BUT is your lawn mower 1,000 pounds? that's a pretty good sized one for a 6 yo, AND do you allow multiple children on your mower at the same time?

there's a difference between teaching responsibility and letting kids run loose. I feel for the kid, and the parents, but this indicates some degree of irresponsibility upon the parent who was there.

[camle]

uh ... yeah... no stickers! that's it! Sue the ssticker manufacturer for allowing the stickers to be removed! got it!:-)

[chance33_98]

GUUUUMP! What is your sole purpose in this country?
To do whatever the liberals and safety stickers tell me to do!
GUMP! Yer a got damn genius!

[11th Earl of Mar]

Yes, my mower weighs 1000 pounds. But my six year old has only been on it with me, not her 10 year old brother.

[Phantom Lord]

Anyone see that new show on Discovery, Monster Garage?

Jesse James, owner of West Coast Choppers assembles a team of gear heads to turn regular cars into things they shouldnt be. They turned a 1990 Mustang into a lawn mower that can mow the lawn at 100 MPH.

"Mowing the grass at 100 mph rules. Doing anything at 100 miles an hour rules, for that matter." — Jesse James

[camle]

yeesh! Personally I wouldn't let a six y/o operate it, but as long as it is supervised by a responsible adult and not treated as a plaything.

[sneakypete]

Yes, my mower weighs 1000 pounds.

How big is it? Mine is a 2 cylinder 17 HP version with a 46 inch mowing deck. It doesn't even weigh 500 lbs. My 4 cylinder gas-powered Ford tractor only weighs 2,500 lbs,and it is a actual farm tractor.

[11th Earl of Mar]

I didn't say I let my six year old operate the mower. I let her ride on my lap as I mow the grass.

[11th Earl of Mar]

I am guessing when I say it weighs 1000 pounds. I have a 18 horse Ford with a 44 inch mowing deck. It weighs substantially more than the 11 horse Yard Man I used to have.

I am a competitive body builder and can lift some serious weight. Sometimes I would simply lift the mower on the jack stands instead of getting out the jack, jacking it up, etc. This task is much more difficult, and almost impossible, with my Ford.

[camle]

I see nothing wrong with that. Done it myself.

[sneakypete]

This task is much more difficult, and almost impossible, with my Ford.

Does it have a live PTO? I strongly suspect it is more in the "garden tractor" catagory than the "riding mower" catagory.

BTW,the reason I am making these distinctions is because I have never seen a riding mower capable of running over or crusing a child that large. Especially not one just rolling backwards. They just sit too low,and don't have the weight or mass. I suspect the "riding mower" in the story would turn out to be a actual small tractor if somebody bothered to check into it.

[11th Earl of Mar]

No it does not have a PTO. I do have a Kubota, 30 horse, with loader, which does have a PTO. I know that it weighs A LOT more than my Ford. I replaced the rear tire last week after I punctured it [Ugh... $350]. It stands 3 1/2 feet tall and weighs with the wheel close to 200 lbs.

Anyway, I could see my Ford running over a child if it was going backward down a hill. The rear tires are larger than the front and could easily drive over and crush a child.

[Wolfie]

Ooh...Ooohh....Ooohh...I get to be first: We need a mandatory waiting period for lawn mower sales!

[chance33_98]

That and some special training classes for the parents and kids - oh and some helmets, goggles, kneepads, and steel toed shoes. Have to raise taxes to hire more cops to patrol the hoods looking for violators - look for ads in the yellow pages soon from sttorneys specializing in lawn care accidents...