A 2-year-old boy known for his constant smile and spiked hair remained in critical condition Tuesday morning, the day after being struck in the head by a falling tree limb at his Barrow County daycare center.
“He was on the playground of his daycare and a tree limb struck the fence and struck him,” Winder fire Chief Matt Whiting told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday. “The only good news is that it hit the fence first.”
The limb, 12 to 14 feet in length and about 8 inches in diameter, likely weighed several hundred pounds struck the toddler at the Cribs to Crayons center on Church Street, Whiting said. Emergency responders transported the boy to Barrow Regional Medical Center before he was flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.
“It’s nobody’s fault,” Whiting said. “It’s just a freak accident.”
The toddler, identified by a relative as Tripp Halstead, underwent brain surgery late Monday afternoon, Channel 2 Action News reported. Surgery revealed the child’s injuries were more extensive than originally believed and required doctors to remove part of his skull, family members said. Family members gathered at Egleston, awaiting updates on Tripp’s condition.
Tripp remained in critical condition Tuesday morning.
“They’re telling us the magical day is the third day and we’re just hoping to make it to then,” Kevin Condon, Tripp’s uncle, said outside the hospital.
Throughout the metro area, trees were reported down on roadways and homes, but no other serious injuries were reported.
In Gwinnett County, a family returned to its Stone Mountain-area home to find a large tree through the back portion of the house. In northern Fulton County, a large tree fell near the intersection of Johnson Ferry Road and Riverside Drive, bringing down power lines.
Wind gusts reaching up to 35 mph overpowered some of metro Atlanta’s trees and power lines Monday. Most of north and central Georgia will remain under a wind advisory until 8 p.m. Tuesday, meaning the threat continues for additional damage.
Tuesday morning temperatures are expected to be in the middle 30s before warming to a high of around 55 degrees.
About the Author
