A 4-year-old girl was killed in a heartbreaking accident after falling from a tractor on her family’s farm and being run over by the vehicle.
Hellayna Michelle King was riding on a trailer attached to the back of a tractor in Clark County, Nevada, when tragedy struck on Sept. 2.
According to a report from Clark County Coroner Neal Oliver, the tractor suddenly came to a stop, causing Hellayna to fall from the trailer.
The tractor then reversed and ran over the little girl.
Family members who witnessed the accident immediately called for emergency help.
But relatives say a nearby bridge closure delayed the ambulance’s arrival.
Hellayna’s family reportedly stayed by her side for nearly 45 minutes before emergency crews reached the farm.
Her aunt, LaDonna Lovings, said there is no way of knowing whether a faster response could have saved Hellayna, but the lengthy wait made an already devastating situation even more painful.
“They had to sit there for 45 minutes with her, and it was just a tragic, tragic loss,” Lovings told WKYT.
She said emergency responders might have been able to reach the farm within about 15 to 20 minutes if the bridge had been open.
“It may have made a difference and it may have not made a difference,” she said. “But the fact that somebody was there to try and help her would’ve made a difference.”
Hellayna was just weeks away from celebrating her fifth birthday in October.
Instead of planning a birthday celebration, her devastated family was forced to prepare for her funeral.
“Nothing can prepare you for having to say goodbye to your niece, your daughter, bonus daughter, or whatever she was to us,” Lovings said.
She added that the family wishes they could turn back time, saying accidents happen every day but families never imagine such a tragedy will happen to them.
Hellayna’s obituary remembered her as a “bright and lively little girl” who brought tremendous joy to the people around her.
She loved being outside, spending time on the farm and singing.
Her family said Hellayna would often fill their days with her “sweet voice and happy spirit.”
Whether she was playing outdoors, helping around the farm or singing one of her favorite songs, relatives said she embraced life with an energy and happiness they will never forget.
Hellayna’s sudden death has left her family mourning a little girl who was supposed to be celebrating her fifth birthday next month.
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