Sisters’ Farm Accident Smothers Them Dead — Bott Family Fundraiser Helps With Harvest
Authorities in Alberta, Canada say the Bott sisters’ farm accident smothered them to death after they were buried alive in a mound of canola seeds. As the Bott family mourns the loss of the three girls, they also have reaffirmed that they have no regrets at raising their kids in a farming life. In addition, many have banded together to help the Bott family in their time of need by raising funds to help with the fall harvest.
In a related report by the Inquisitr, two orphaned sisters who were separated for nearly 40 years ended up working as nurses on the same floor of the same hospital.
The three sisters’ farm accident started when 13-year-old Catie Bott, and her twin sisters, Dara and Jana, 11, fell into a truckload of canola Tuesday night on the family farm. Family and neighbors rushed to free the girls, but they had already suffocated because the small grain size of the canola seed allows it to get into the lungs, where it blocks the flow of oxygen.
Emergency response crews tried administering CPR after arriving at the site of the sisters’ farm accident, but Catie and one of the twin sisters had already died on the scene. The second twin was flown to Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital by STARS Air Ambulance in critical condition, but she also succumbed to her injuries.
“This is hitting us all very hard, front line responders are routinely called out to sad situations but things are always harder when there’s children involved,” said RCMP Sgt. Mike Numan.
Friends of the Bott family say they deeply loved the lives they lived on the farm. Although the parents of the Bott sisters did not want to speak publicly to reporters, they released a statement saying they had no regrets for raising their kids on the Canadian farm.
“Our kids died living life on the farm, it is a family farm. We do not regret raising and involving our kids Catie, age 13 – Dara, age 11, and Jana, age 11 on our farm. It was our life!” they said in the statement. “Thank you for all of the overwhelming support we have received from the first responders, neighbors and friends. We would ask the media to respect our privacy at this time of grief.”
Pastor Brian Allan of the Withrow Gospel Mission says the Bott sisters’ farm accident has caused the community to rally around them in support. People in the area have been arriving to help the parents and their son while they grieve for the three sisters.
“They are obviously devastated,” Allan said, according to Maclean’s. “There is just a deep sense of loss and sadness.”
The pastor also says the neighbors plan on finishing the harvest for the Bott family.
“We are going to be spending time with them. I know that there are guys down there working around the farm right now, cleaning things up and just trying to get things back to some sense to normal,” he said. “We feel the impact of this loss in a substantial way.”
In addition, these friends and neighbors have set up a GoFundMe fundraiser campaign for the Bott family in order to help them financially.
“Community members, friends and family have banded together to help with the remaining harvest and to comfort the family. However, the healing and recovery period will last far longer than the story will remain in the news and on the mind of those removed from the community. The significant emotional and financial toll will be felt for a long time and we encourage those of you who are willing, to support the Bott’s in their time of need.”
After the news about the Bott sisters’ farm accident became known worldwide, the GoFundeMe campaign passed its goal almost immediately. The fundraiser has since upped its goal to $100,000, and in one day they have already raised over $67,000.
[Image via Twitter]
