A 13-year-old girl is dead after an accident while she was laying in a hammock Saturday.

Peri Segun had just jumped into the hammock in which her 16-year-old sister, Eren, was already in laying in when a brick pillar fell onto the hammock.

>> Read more trending stories

KCCI reported that one end of the hammock was tied to the pillar, which contained a light post, and the other was attached to a tree, according to a police report.

The brick pillar fell onto Peri's head.

Her father tried CPR until medical help arrived and Peri was taken to a hospital.

She died at 12:52 p.m.

"She was very busy and very well-rounded," school principal Nancy Dowdle told The Des Moines Register. "She was very bright and considerate of others."

Peri was about to graduate from St. Augustin Catholic School next week as a presidential scholar for her high scores on state assessments.

According to a police report, the brick pillar had been driven 7 inches into the ground with no reinforcement,

Phil Delafield, a city official, said there are no regulations for brick posts like the one that collapsed because they are considered decorative.

About the Author

Featured

Fans celebrate in the stands after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (Cristiano Barbosa/AP)

Credit: AP