(WXYZ) — The Northville mayor shared a heartfelt letter to residents on Friday after a 12-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree at the Howell Nature Center on Thursday.
Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull said Declan Carter had his whole life ahead of him and that "everyone did all they could for Declan, but his energetic life was suddenly halted."
Full interview: Mayor Turnbull reflects on life of Northville boy tragically killed by tree
"I had the pleasure of knowing Declan, having visited with him and his sister, Georgia, in front of their home many times, especially on hot summer afternoons for a lemonade. He had great potential academically, athletically (as one of the top runners in the area) and socially as a part of the fabric and DNA of Northville," said Mayor Turnbull in the letter to the community.
Carter family photo, shared by City of Northville
Declan Carter, a sixth grader at Our Lady of Victory School in Northville, was the son of a Northville City Council leader, the mayor writes, encouraging the community to support the Carter family.
"It is up to us to keep Declan’s spirit and memory alive in our hearts and from this day forward, to always have the Carter family in our prayers. All of our Northville staff who are appointed and elected are like a family. A loss for one is felt by all, along with the rest of our close-knit community," he wrote.
Read the full letter to the community here.
We spoke to Mayor Turnbull directly on Friday. He tells us the Northville community is in mourning after the tragedy.
"We’re emotional and it hurts a lot," he said. "Hug those around you, hug those that you love today, you never know what tomorrow will bring."
According to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, the 12-year-old was killed after a tree fell on him at the Howell Nature Center Thursday afternoon.
Officials say the tree struck the 12-year-old boy in the head. We’re told the boy was critically injured and later died at the hospital.
The boy was at the facility for an overnight field trip.
Sheriff Michael Murphy says chaperones were teaching the students how to make a fire when they heard loud cracking. Members of the group took off running when they heard the sound, and the 20-foot tall tree with a rotted trunk fell on the boy, hitting him on the head.
He was airlifted to Mott Children's Hospital by the University of Michigan's Survival Flight in critical condition before later passing away from his injuries.
“I have no words other than it's a tragic accident that just makes absolutely no sense," Murphy said.
Residents fear it may have been an old, decaying tree that came down. Diane Casler lives in the area and says she sees many of those.
"It happens, but it’s periodically," she said. “There’s some big old trees."
The school has released the following statement about the incident:
As you may have heard, one of our sixth-grade students was seriously injured today in an accident during the class’s overnight field trip to the Howell Nature Center. The student has been airlifted to a local hospital for treatment. Our prayers are with the student and family as they navigate this very difficult situation.
As this incident occurred in front of other students, the decision was made to cancel the rest of the field trip so students could return home to their families. All parents of students on the trip have been contacted. We have been working with the Archdiocese of Detroit Catholic Schools Department to coordinate counseling services for any of our students who may be impacted by this news, particularly those in the sixth grade.
Please know I will pass along any updates the family is comfortable sharing. Beyond that, we ask you to join our school in respecting their need for privacy and sensitivity.
Howell Nature Center CEO Tina Bruce has released the following statement about the incident:
Our hearts break and we are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred here at Howell Nature Center. Our thoughts and prayers are with the child and their family during this difficult time.
At this moment, we are gathering all the facts and working closely with the authorities and our staff to understand what happened today. We will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.
Thank you for your understanding and patience.
