A haunted hayride has shut down following the death of a teenager, just a day after a 12-year-old was killed at a similar attraction.
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On Saturday, October 12, emergency crews were dispatched to the Harvest of Horror Haunted Hayride in St. Augusta, Minnesota. This followed a report of an injury involving a young male at the site, per a news release from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office.
The first caller told authorities that the victim, identified by the SCSO as 13-year-old Alexander Mick from Rice, was run over by a trolley wagon being pulled by a tractor. An off-duty police officer and a medic, also off-duty, were among the bystanders who promptly began providing aid to Mick, according to the SCSO.
However, despite the first responder’s quick efforts, Mick was “pronounced deceased at the scene.”
The Haunted Hayride Attraction Owners ‘Deeply Shaken’ After Teen Was Struck by Tractor
In a statement posted on its website, Harvest of Horror announced they were canceling all remaining nights of the season.
“We are cooperating fully with the authorities and are grateful for their support,” the company wrote. “We are deeply shaken by this event and are asking for thoughts, prayers and support for the family and friends of the individual involved and all those affected by this tragedy.”
Meanwhile, Mick, affectionately known as “Xander,” was an 8th-grade student at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School. His diverse interests encompassed band, choir, robotics, and soccer, per his obituary.
He is remembered as a helpful, tech-savvy teenager brimming with energy, humor, and an infectious smile. “Xander was kind, very polite, unique, creative, investigative, and saw the good in everyone,” the obituary added.
As of this writing, over $38,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign to support Mick’s family following the accident.
Pat Genberg, the organizer of the online fundraiser, was deeply moved by the flood of support received. “We are so overwhelmed by the love and generosity of our community that helped us reach our goal,” Genberg wrote.
The incident comes just a day after another juvenile lost their life in a haunted hayride-related accident in Tennessee on October 11.
Per the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the child was “struck by a tractor” at the Haunted Hilltop in Hamilton County. He was reportedly attempting to scare some riders.
HSCO deputies spoke with a chaperone of a group of juveniles playing near a hayride route. They claimed one juvenile tried to jump onto the trailer after hiding in bushes. The child was later found unresponsive after slipping and falling under the wheels. Unfortunately, he died at the scene.