Mother And Daughter Taken To Hospital After Tree Falls On Them

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- A mother and her 3-year-old daughter are injured after a tree fell on them in Cascade Park in New Castle.

Diana Palumbo suffered a series of fractures and a punctured lung. Her daughter suffered a fractured skull.

The incident happened Sunday afternoon in between the park pavilions and the creek. They were taken to Shenango Fire Hall. From there, choppers took them to two separate hospitals.

The mother was taken to a Youngstown Hospital while the daughter was flown to UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

They were taken to the hospital in critical condition but both are now in stable condition.

According to the grandfather, they are hopeful for a full recovery.

"You feel dread and shock," said Gerald Anastasia. "You see the tree. It snapped 30 feet from the base, so it was a hard hit. My daughter has a series of fractures, a punctured lung, and the little granddaughter has a fractured skull. They're stable right now and so we hope in a matter of time that they're going to have a full recovery."

One witness acted quickly, calling 911.

"Trying to call 911 and I got through and I turned away because the wind was pretty brisk at the time," said Diane Rzecznik.

Normally, the sound of a child crying is alarming but for another witness, it was a sound of relief.

"She started to cry and I knew she was alive then," said Dan Rzecznik.