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Infant Killed By Falling Branch in Central Park Zoo
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jun 26, 2010
Modified Jun 27, 2010
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jun 26, 2010
Modified Jun 27, 2010
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[UPDATE BELOW] A mother and her infant child have reportedly been rushed to Cornell Hospital after being struck by a falling branch in the Central Park Zoo. Reports of the incident came in around 2 p.m., but a police spokesman said they don't have details at this time. This has been the third incident of injuries caused by a falling branch in the park this year. Just last month, three people were injured in Central Park by falling branches near the Boathouse, and in February a man was killed by a branch that fell from a reportedly healthy tree.
UPDATE: According to officials, the 6-month-old struck by a falling tree branch in the Central Park Zoo was pronounced dead upon arriving at Weill Cornell Medical Center earlier this afternoon. NBC reports that the mother and child were visiting the zoo with family when a tree branch crashed to the ground, splitting in half. The mother is still in serious condition at the hospital.
The NY Post reports that the mother and baby were posing near the Delacorte Clock while the father was about to take a photograph when the branch snapped and fell. One witness at the scene said, "We heard a large thump and turned around and saw a large branch had fallen on a woman," and his wife added, "The baby fell out of her arms. The mother was covered in blood. The baby wasn’t moving or crying."
A parks department sourced told the Post the tree seemed to be about 30 to 50 years old.
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