13-year-old boy in Minnesota dies after accident during haunted hayride
By Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY,
10 hours ago
Police lights Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal
A 13-year-old boy in Minnesota died over the weekend after he was run over by a tractor-pulled wagon at a haunted hayride, according to police.
Alexander “Xander” Mick of Rice, Minnesota was pronounced dead on the scene after officers from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, an off-duty medic and an off-duty police officer tried to save his life.
An obituary in honor of Alexander said that he attended the eighth grade at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School. Here he participated in band, choir, robotics and soccer. He is survived by his parents, Steven and Teri.
“He loved Jesus with all his heart and shared that with others. Xander was kind, very polite, unique, creative, investigative, and saw the good in everyone. He always tried to be first to say, ‘Love you more’. Xander was well known for his unique white hair, he could be spotted from a distance,” the obituary said.
More memorials and an outpouring of support
On Sunday, his mother posted on Facebook remembering him and thanked people for their support.
“Hold your babies tight. I would do anything to hold my baby again,” his mother said on Facebook. “He was an angel on earth and I’m so happy he gets to rest with Jesus now. Give your loved ones a hug and don’t let go so soon.”
Hold your babies tight. I would do anything to hold my baby again. Xander made his way to heaven last night and I will...
“We are still struggling to pick a picture for the obituary. This is my favorite at the moment. This is him. His infectious smile. His hair that can be picked out from a crowd. His energy in life,” Alexander’s father said on Facebook, memorializing his son.
Hi friends. As you can imagine, this is a devastating time for us. However, we rejoice in knowing where Xander is and...
Following the accident, organizers of the Harvest of Horror Haunted Hayride, where the accident occurred, announced that the rest of the nights of the 2024 Harvest of Horror would be canceled.
The sheriff’s office has also said that the incident is under investigation by officials.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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