Lawrence boy, 12, dies after tree falls on him
A 12-year-old boy from Lawrence died on Monday after a tree fell on him while he was playing with a friend in his backyard.
Police said that just after noon on Monday, they responded to the 100 block of Eldridge Avenue after receiving a report that a tree had fallen on a 12-year-old boy.
Officers were able to free the boy from under the fallen tree and they then began CPR. The boy
was transported to Capital Health System – Regional Medical Center in Trenton by Lawrence Township EMS. He later died due to the severity of his injuries.
The boy was playing with his friend when a strong gust of wind blew the tree over. The tree then struck the boy, police said.
The Lawrence Township School District will have counselors available this week to support
students and staff. Therapy dogs and members of the Mercer County Traumatic Loss Coalition will also be at school to provide support.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
I fear this tragedy may have been caused by a falling dead ash tree. There are many dangerous dead, brittle standing ash trees out there, trees killed by the invasive emerald ash borer insect. Unfortunately more people will be injured or killed by falling dead ash trees in the months ahead. This is extremely dangerous. Crews have been cutting dead ash along roadways and power lines to alleviate this danger but there are still many, many hazardous ash trees out there. The dead ash which are very brittle can snap and fall on a still or windy day. Stay away from these standing skeletons of death!
The township of Lawrence actually forced a lot of homebuyers to plant them throughout town years ago.
Our love and condolences to the family and our community.