Toddler’s Foot Severed By Mom Riding Lawnmower, Don’t Let This Be You

A toddler’s foot was severed from his body after his leg was trapped under a riding lawnmower driven by his mother on Saturday afternoon in Pasco County, Florida.

The child’s mother was riding a commercial zero turn mower when the toddler ran towards her and became trapped underneath. She tried to turn the lawnmower engine off when she saw the toddler run towards her, but wasn’t able to shut the machine off in time.

The leg was severed between the knee and the ankle.

Emergency crews arrived at the home and packed the amputated foot in ice and transported the child to Tampa General Hospital.

There is no word yet on the toddler’s condition.

Dr. Dale Jarka, from Missouri, told KMBC he sees far too many of these accidents.

“It’s incredibly dangerous. One slip and the child has a terrible life-changing accident. And we see this on a regular basis, unfortunately.”

Tragically, this type of incident is all too common in the summer during lawn-mowing season, and the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates 17,000 children are hospitalized each year with lawnmower injuries.

In April, 2013, a two-year-old toddler had both of her legs and part of her hand severed by a lawn mower blade after she escaped her mother’s watchful eye and ran toward her father who was driving a riding lawn mower.

Experts urge parents to keep small children inside the home or under direct supervision of another adult while they mow the lawn and to never let small children sit on a parents lap while operating the machine.

Remember to always create a safety zone measuring 20 feet around the machine and shut down the lawnmower if anyone comes close.

Pediatrics say most children are unable to safely operate a lawnmower until they’re at least 12-years-old.

Orthopedic Surgeon Steven Lovejoy told USA Today that accidents involving small children are especially tragic when they’re preventable.

“These can be life-changing injuries for children, but they are totally preventable.”

He says that most injuries occur when parents lose sight of their children and the child runs up to their parents while they’re mowing the lawn without knowing the danger they’re in.

Toddlers aren’t the only ones injured by lawnmower accidents, however. Another 220,000 adults are injured in lawnmower accidents each year, usually through negligence or improper use.

Experts warn adults not to mow wet grass and to always wear proper safety gear — including good footwear — when utilizing spinning blades.

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]