Support Grows For Utah Toddler Killed After Climbing Fisherman's Wharf Dolphin Statue
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Money has poured in for a grieving Utah family of a 2-year-old boy who died in a tragic accident outside an art and sculpture shop in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf last week.
Family friends put together an online fundraiser after 2-year-old Kayson Shelton, of Draper, Utah, died Friday afternoon, hours after playing on a dolphin statue outside of a sculpture store in the 200 block of Jefferson Street.
According to police, around 11:30 a.m. Kayson had been playing on the statue outside of the store when it toppled onto him.
Medical crews and police responded, and he was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where he died of his injuries later that afternoon.
Police said he was with his parents and his siblings, including an older sister who apparently tried to help him as he fell.
Police cited Majestic Gallery, saying they have been warned in the past.
"The San Francisco Police Department officers that were working the America's Cup had asked this business to move their dolphins back across on the other side of the blue line because of the high volume of pedestrian traffic," Officer Gordon Shyy of the San Francisco Police Department said.
The store was cited for placing an object or merchandise on a sidewalk where it impedes pedestrian traffic, police said.
The store, Majestic Collection, located at 225 Jefferson St., released a statement that said, "This is an unfortunate and tragic incident.
Majestic Collection is and has been co-operating with all investigative agencies. Our hearts and prayers are with the family."
Wharf vendors said they understand the rules but question whether Kayson's parents had left the boy and his siblings unattended.
"They were trying to climb onto a statue and it fell. So if it was inside the store or outside, at that point it doesn't matter, I mean, the child was unwatched and unfortunately he lost his life," said Fisherman's Wharf vendor John Terry.
But the businesses rely on walk-up traffic, and one vendor showed how empty her store has become since they moved everything off the sidewalks.
"Already no business, looks like winter time, it's not summertime now. It's no good because the people don't want to go inside the stores," said a vendor, who did not want to give her name.
Police said the blue line is there for a reason and, after this tragedy, they will be less likely to excuse businesses that try to step over it.
Majestic Collection sent a short statement to KPIX 5 Monday:
This is an unfortunate and tragic incident. Majestic Collection is and has been co-operating with all investigative agencies. Our hearts and prayers are with the family.
Since news of the toddler's death, more than $20,000 has been donated through a YouCaring page for funeral expenses and support for Kayson's parents Toni and Scott Shelton and other surviving family members.
On a memorial website for Kayson, family friends are also organizing a blanket drive through Project Night Night.
According to site organizers, Kayson loved blankets, so in his honor friends are collecting blankets for the San Francisco-based charity which gives blankets and care packages to homeless children.
At the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' meeting on Tuesday afternoon, board president David Chiu asked for the meeting to be adjourned in Kayson's memory.
The incident with the 6-foot dolphin statue falling onto Kayson occurred within Chiu's district.
He said, "Any of us can't know what his parents and family are feeling at this time."
Chiu shared his condolences with the family, who has since returned to Utah.
More information about fundraisers for Kayson are available online at www.kaysonshelton.com.
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