3-Year-Old Girl Run Over By Lawn Mower

GENOA TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - A young girl is in critical condition following a lawn mower accident in Genoa Township, near Ann Arbor.

The three-year-old was accidentally run over by a riding lawn mower being operated by her grandfather.  Police said the grandfather was mowing the lawn and did not see the girl when he was backing up.

The child's leg reportedly suffered severe injuries to her leg and other parts of her body.  She was rushed to the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor for treatment.

Neighbors told reporters the grandfather was also taken to the hospital, exhibiting signs of a panic attack or heart attack.

Last year, 253,000 people were treated for lawn mower-related injuries, nearly 17,000 of them children under age 19, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

With the summer underway, doctors recommend that parents use extra precaution when operating lawn mowers.  Doctors at Mott report that at least five area children have been treated for serious injuries caused by lawn mowers.  U-M doctors typically see 2-3 cases like this each summer.

"I've seen broken and dislocated bones, deep cuts, missing fingers and toes, limb amputations, burns, and eye injuries from lawn mower accidents," said Dr. Peter Ehrlich, M.D., Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Pediatric Trauma, in a statement.  "All of these cases have one thing in common, that they were all avoidable."

"The dangers are very real, but very preventable," added Amy Teddy, Injury Prevention Program Manager at Mott.

To prevent lawn mower injuries, doctors at the Mott Pediatric Trauma Program suggest:

• Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower.
• Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers.
• Young children should remain inside when a lawn mower is being used.
• Pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.

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