An 11-year-old boy has tragically died after playing with fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend in Indiana.
According to an Indiana State Police report, Posey County officials received a call around 9.42 pm, alerting them that a child was severely injured while playing with fireworks.
Mt. Vernon native Camrynn Ray McMichael died while being transported to a local hospital.
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His mother, Kyrra Lynn, wrote a heartbreaking Facebook post revealing that she was holding her son as he was dying in her arms.
She wrote: “I held my son's broken skull and brain in my hands last night.”
She added: “That's the reality. Don't even f*****g buy those damn things! I'll never see my son again over a f*****g firework. Don't ever think it can't happen to yours. Seriously.”
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The mother also posted an update telling friends and family she was touched by the overwhelming support she received.
“I want y'all to understand I don't know what to say or what I need,” she wrote.
“We all loved cam. I also want y'all to understand I have to get up, I have to make my own dinner, I have to move, cam wouldn't want & expect anything less.
“I am not okay, but I will be, because I have to be.”
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A GoFundMe page has been set up by a relative of the family, Alexandra Eaton, who described Camrynn as a ‘smart kid’ with an ‘unbelievable passion for football and basketball’.
So far, over US$3,000 (AUD $4,407 or £2,507) worth of donations has been raised, with the money being directed towards the family to pay for funeral expenses.
Kyrra told FOX affiliate WXIN that it was 'a tragic freak accident' that took her son, adding: "Fireworks are no joke...and when you think it won't be yours, in the blink of an eye it is."
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According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), firework-related deaths have increased by 25 per cent in the past 15 years.
Last year, nine deaths were recorded, while 11,550 were injured.
CPSC commission Alex Hoehn-Saric warned: “It’s imperative that consumers know the risks involved in using fireworks, so injuries and tragedies can be prevented. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to watch the professional displays.”
Camrynn's death comes only a month after a 10-year-old boy blew his hand off while playing with fireworks, according to Patch.
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South King Fire and Rescue said at the time that the boy and his family’s lives 'are forever changed over one decision, to play with fireworks'.
They added: “Our hearts go out to both boys as they work through the next phase in their lives.”
Topics: US News
Charisa Bossinakis