Photo: GoFundMe
An 8-year-old boy in Missouri has died after a backyard swing set collapsed on top of him while he was playing at his mother’s home, per PEOPLE.
The fatal incident unfolded at around 6 p.m. on Sunday (September 21) in the 11300 block of Larimore Road in north St. Louis County, the police department said.The child, identified as Cortez “CJ” Williams Jr., 8, was found unresponsive at the scene after the swing set fell, trapping him beneath a metal crossbar.
Williams initially appeared to have suffered only minor injuries from the incident after family members were able to free him.
“He wasn’t bleeding … it was like he just had a little scratch on his stomach,” the victim's father, Cortez Williams Sr., said.
After the fall, family members said the child was alert, talking, and even asked for food and water.
“They said he wanted some water, and she was finished cooking the food," Williams Sr. recalled. “He was quiet for a while... next thing you know, they said he wasn’t responding anymore.”
The boy was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Williams was just weeks away from celebrating his 9th birthday. His father described him as a “joyful kid” who loved food, scary movies, and was excited to start playing soccer.
“He’d make anybody smile and laugh and love him,” Williams Sr. said. “It’s pain that’ll never go away… it’s just something that’ll never leave."
The St. Louis County Police Department said the child’s death has been ruled accidental. A GoFundMe has been launched to help cover funeral expenses.
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