Child killed, woman injured after being struck in parking lot of Western Monmouth County farm
It happened at Screamin' Hill Brewery and Bullock Farms Saturday morning.
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Town leaders say a 5-year-old boy is dead and a woman was injured after getting hit by a vehicle at a popular farm in Western Monmouth County over the weekend.
It happened at Screamin' Hill Brewery and Bullock Farms Saturday morning.
Upper Freehold Township Mayor San Moslowski Jr. says he struggles to keep his emotions at bay when talking about the events surrounding the death of the boy.
"A day that started out to be a memorable experience with your family, grandparents turned into a tragedy," said Mayor Moslowski Jr.
The child and a 66-year-old woman were struck by the driver of an older model Chrysler SUV just after 11 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Screamin' Hill Brewery and Bullock Farms in the Cream Ridge section of town. First responders say the driver was adjusting the vehicle while backing into a parking spot
"We understand the tragedy for the workers, the families, people who were there, involved, it's awful," said Moslowski.
Amber Rollins runs Kids and Car Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening laws and bringing change to the automotive industry.
"These are high risk areas in places where we have to be extra, extra careful," said Rollins.
While the New Jersey State Police have just begun its investigation, Rollins says parents can take steps to better protect their children in busy parking lots.
"If you've got a toddler, carry them. That's better than holding hands. They can't get away from you if they're in your arms or strapped into a stroller. Those are the safest options," she said.
The mayor says in the decades he's spent in rural Upper Freehold, nothing like this has ever happened before, and these businesses provide major support to the local economy.
"They put their property in preservation, and they have to make a living at it," he said.
The township provided contacts for grief counselors to first responders, employees and families involved in Saturday's tragedy.
