More information is coming after a 10-year-old boy was apparently thrown from a carnival ride during a summer festival in a far northern suburb of Antioch. He was seriously injured and had to be airlifted to two different hospitals this weekend.
According to officials, the police in Antioch responded to the scene at 2:40 p.M. After receiving reports that a child had fallen from a ride. The incident occurred during the Summer Taste Festival in Antioch on Sunday afternoon, where a ride called Moby Dick locks people in and increases speed as it goes down and up the shoulders.
Upon arrival, Police and Fire crews in Antioch discovered that a 10-year-old boy, who appeared to have been thrown from a carnival ride, had been found in the village on Sunday.
According to a statement from village authorities on Monday, the victim had to be air transported to a nearby medical facility and was deemed to be “seriously wounded” following the occurrence. The officials stated that on Sunday evening, the boy was airlifted to a different hospital “due to the severity of his injuries.”
According to Huntley Daniels’ grandmother, Dawne Pohlman, the 10-year-old boy is currently recovering after going through multiple surgeries on Monday.
“He is a highly resilient child. Very resilient child. And he is recovering well,” Pohlman stated.
Pohlman said the family, longtime residents of Antioch, often attend the Taste of Summer event, making Sunday’s tragedy even harder to comprehend.
“It’s incredible,” stated Pohlman. “They’ve experienced numerous carnival rides. My daughter just contacted me in a state of panic.”
Pohlman informed NBC 5 that in Chicago, her grandson had to be airlifted for a second time to Comer Children’s Hospital due to the seriousness of his injuries, following his initial treatment at Lutheran General Hospital.
Another boy, also on the same attraction, described feeling unsure of its safety at that moment.
Elliott Johnson expressed, “The safety bar was rising above my head. I had to forcefully bring it down to secure it, as it kept ascending. Every time I went up, I felt like I was on the verge of falling out.”
A GoFundMe page established for Huntley by relatives asserts that he was launched “approximately 10-20 feet into the sky.”
Officials stated that his injuries were not categorized as life-threatening, and they further mentioned that he was previously categorized as critical but stable and is presently undergoing surgery. As per Antioch authorities, Huntley sustained “numerous facial and jaw fractures,” along with a “substantial injury” to the bones in one of his legs.
Antioch Law Enforcement, Inquiry by Department of Labor in Progress
The department of Labor in Illinois requested an on-scene inspector from the police to release the continued statement. In order to make sure that no tampering occurred, the police department in Antioch worked to secure the rides at the event and the Mayor of Antioch, Scott Gartner, issued an executive order to halt all rides at the event.
According to officials in Antioch, the Division of Safety Attraction and Ride Amusement of the Illinois Department of Labor is responsible for permitting and inspecting public rides on an annual basis.
The Illinois Department of Labor (ILDOL) stated on Monday that only rides that have passed inspection and meet the applicable safety standards are allowed to operate in Illinois. This statement comes after an incident involving a ride that was operated by Lockport’s Amusement Around All, which had received a permit to operate and was inspected earlier this year, according to IDOL.
The carnival ride operator was chosen by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce to run and plan the annual Taste of Summer event, as declared by the village.
An inspector from the Department of Labor (DOL) arrived at the location and conducted an initial examination of the amusement ride, as per officials. In order to conduct a thorough inspection, examining every detail, the DOL also issued a directive to halt the operation of the Moby Dick ride at any other location.
The department also stated that it will conduct an independent investigation to determine if the incident resulted from a combination of operator failure, mechanical error, or any other factors.
As per authorities, the inquiry is anticipated to last for “a few months.”
Geoffrey Guttschow, the Chief of Police in Antioch, added that the police department will be conducting its own investigation to determine if any criminally reckless or negligent acts may have contributed to what occurred.
Guttschow stated in the press release, “Given these circumstances, we will collaborate with the Lake County Attorney’s Office to determine if any criminal charges are deemed necessary.”
Antioch city officials are anticipated to convene once more on Monday to further deliberate on the occurrence.
Gartner stated in the press statement, “Our intention is to collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce in order to determine precisely the factors that caused this tragic incident and establish effective measures to prevent any similar occurrences from taking place in our local area again.”