A Tennessee family is heartbroken after their 12-year-old son died in a tragic accident during a Halloween-themed hayride at Haunted Hilltop in Harrison. Samuel Jessen and other juveniles allegedly tried to scare passengers on a haunted hayride attraction by jumping out of the bushes, but it appears he got caught under the wheels of the trailer, resulting in his death.
Witnesses told the Chattanooga Times Free Press they yelled for the tractor driver to stop when the boy’s foot got caught, but it seems he didn’t hear them. What was supposed to be a fun night ended with heartache for everyone involved.
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The accident occurred late in the evening.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office responded to Haunted Hilltop just before 11 p.m. October 11 after receiving a report of a juvenile hit by a tractor.
“HCSO deputies spoke with a chaperone for a group of juveniles that had been playing near a hay ride tractor route and were behind some bushes trying to scare some hay riders at the Haunted Hilltop Halloween event,” the news release reads. “Deputies were told that one of the juveniles had attempted to jump on the trailer and had possibly slipped and fallen underneath the wheels and was found unresponsive.”
Officials pronounced Samuel dead at the scene.
Witnesses tried to help.
Caitlyn Birch told the Times Free Press that she was on the hayride when Samuel and the other juveniles allegedly jumped out of the bushes.
“They had jumped out of the bushes, and the particular one boy who got ran over, he tripped and got caught under the wheel,” Birch explained, “and ended up getting run over the full left side of his body.”
Birch and others reportedly tried to stop the driver. “As soon as his foot got caught under the wheel, we started screaming at the tractor driver to stop,” she explained.
The ride allegedly continued.
Birch said another rider called 911 and jumped off the trailer to help Samuel.
She said everyone remained on the hayride until it was over, even though Samuel had been killed, the newspaper reported. “Everyone was freaking out, and we still had to sit through that ride for 10 minutes,” she explained.
Haunted Hilltop posted this statement on Facebook: “Apparently a young kid hid in the bushes and crossed over a barrier and when the hayride trailer went by he jumped out and attempted to get on the side of the trailer and was ran over by the trailer, Please give this family and the Hilltop family time to Grieve and get through this Horrible Accident, there will probably be a few press releases tomorrow.”
The community has shared support for the Jessen Family.
Two Rivers Church Chattanooga posted their sadness on Facebook.
“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of Samuel Jessen, who died in a tragic accident Friday night. There are no words right now, but we are thankful that we do not grieve without hope. Samuel’s faith was in Jesus Christ, and that faith has now been realized,” the Facebook post reads.
Loved ones created a GoFundMe account for the family. It’s raised $34,000 thus far.
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In a strange coincidence, another boy died in a separate hayride incident elsewhere in the US just a day before.
Per a news release from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, 13-year-old Alexander Mick of Rice, Minnesota, died after he was run over by a trolley wagon at the annual Harvest of Horror Haunted Hayride.
His father, Steven D. Mick, posted a statement on Facebook. “Hi friends. As you can imagine, this is a devastating time for us. However, we rejoice in knowing where Xander is and who he is with!” he wrote. “We are so blessed by the outpouring of support, prayers, and condolences from so many.
“We are still struggling to pick a picture for the obituary. This is my favorite at the moment. This is him,” he added. “His infectious smile. His hair that can be picked out from a crowd. His energy in life.”
