Small town devastated by death of 6-year-old boy [Woodchipper]

The New London Day ^ | April 10th, 2012 | Izaskun E. Larrañeta

[Wisconsinlady]

A tragic accident. I don’t blame the father. He probably turned away for just a moment. It is like a child darting out into a street unexpectedly. The man will never forgive himself and this will be devastating to this whole family.

[GeronL]

I don’t think he was being a jerk, I think that is going to be a common and normal reaction to something like this.

[calex59]

Can't think of a scarier way to die. I worked in plywood and saw mills for 35 years and the large commercial wood chippers(called "hogs" in the industry)were one thing that made me more than a little nervous. There were very few accidents with them at the companies I worked for(mostly fingers and hands lost), but I know some men have been pulled into them and killed in other mills.

This is so sad that a family has to go through this. Poor lad, RIP and my prayers are with him and with his family.

[windcliff]

I agree.

[Haiku Guy]

< GEORGEHWBUSH>Not going to do it... Wouldn't be prudent...< /GEORGEHWBUSH>

[RedCell]

I didn’t see this posted so thank you for doing so. I had just finished putting up a prayer request:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2870523/posts

This happened a mile-and-a-half up the road from me. Very, very sad.

[peeps36]

I felt sick when I heard about this tragedy on the radio earlier today. Chippers are real dangerous machines that can hurt you real bad. I've seen adults almost get pulled into the machine when their coat got hooked by a branch. That little boy didn't have a chance. What a shame.

[Lancey Howard]

Yeah.. I’ve worked with my brother’s commercial wood chipper and I’m trying to envision how the child was “pulled in”. Maybe a sleeve got too close, or a tie-string from his sweatshirt, or a branch hooked him somehow? It was most certainly a lightning-strike freak accident.

[Harold Shea]

Bet the father didn’t intend for him to feed the chipper

Saw dad feeding the thing and tried to copy dad

The poor father has my prayers

I’ve seen accidents like these break marriages twice

[paul51]

tragic, yes. Painfully sad, yes. Unfortunately that doesn't excuse the actions of the father. Can't imagine what he was thinking.

[4buttons]

Horrible, didn’t read it.

The boy’s father will re-live it the rest of his life.

May everyone rest in peace.

[Gene Eric]

Too bad the gut-wrenching recognition of this tragedy doesn’t translate to the horrific, intentional destruction of nascent life by similar means.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Hate to say it - father is a moron .

Indeed. What in the hell was he thinking letting a 6 year old anywhere near that thing?

He'll pay for his mistake every day of his life from now on. I can't imagine the anguish.

[call meVeronica]

Prayers for the family, friends, you & the whole town. Terrible tradjedy.

[Terry Mross]

When I was seven we were in the fields picking cotton when the boss ran over his young infant son. My mother held the baby on the way to the hospital. He died in her arms. Man, that was sad!

When I was nine a fellow classmate was burned to death when a gas can, ignited by the water heater, exploded in the garage. This was before code required the water heater to be off the floor. I remember the funeral. Another sad day.

I pray for this family. The father will live with this for the rest of his life.

[chessplayer]

Hate to say it - father is a moron .

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Your comment would have been better unsaid..........

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Why should it have been left unsaid? Letting a 6 year old feed wood into a commercial woodchipper is insane, much less turning his back on the kid as he does it.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

The boy’s two brothers were present. I can only imagine how affected they will be.

I expect they will get a healthy respect for machines.

[annieokie]

I agree, thank you Basil, somehow I just knew there would be some Johnny on the Spot to say something dumb like that.

This father is in so much pain right now, it makes me sick for some to pile on with the blame. It was an accident. My gosh, people "act humane for a change".

Prayers for the family, I can not imagine their pain. May the Lord hear their tears and bring them the peace that passes all understanding.

[dragonblustar]

God help them.

[dragnet2]

Don’t have the first problem with children helping a parent or grandparent do work, but a 6-year-old feeding a commercial wood chipper??? Insanity.

You bet, someone that young should have never been allowed within 20 feet of that machine when running.

Very brutal, very sad.