Police have verified that a 12-year-old child died at a Michigan nature preserve after being struck by a falling tree.
At Livingston County, Michigan’s Howell Nature Center, late on Thursday afternoon, the kid was struck by a tree.
The infant had life-threatening injuries and was evacuated to a neighboring hospital; the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the child’s death.
The child had spent the night at the wildlife preserve as part of a class excursion.
While the students were learning how to light a fire, the trip chaperones reported that the tree fell quickly and without warning, and that the only sound they heard was a loud crack.
On Friday, the trip was called off and the park was closed to visitors.
CEO Tina Bruce posted a message on Facebook stating, “Our hearts break and we are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred here at Howell Nature Center.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the child, their family, fellow students, teachers, and staff during this difficult time. The park and clinic will be closed tomorrow … so staff can come together and process today’s events.”
Declan Carter is the boy’s name, according to an open letter sent by Northville, Michigan, mayor Brian Turnbull on the city’s website. The Detroit suburb to the west is home to Carter’s family.
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In the letter, which is accompanied by a family photo, Turnbull wrote, “Tragically, on a field trip from Our Lady of Victory School yesterday to the Howell Nature Center, a tree came down on sixth-grader Declan Carter, and he was airlifted to Mott’s Children Hospital at the University of Michigan. Everyone did all they could for Declan, but his energetic life was suddenly halted.”
“From all of us at City Hall, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, including his father John Carter (an esteemed City Council leader), mother Liz Carter and his sisters Georgia and Ainslie,” Turnbull stated.
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