A 13-year-old boy died after his shirt caught on a screw inside a playground slide and tightened around his neck, his mother says.
Olvin Cabrera Valladares was found trapped in the enclosed tube by a man visiting the park with his children. The teenager was taken to hospital and placed on life support following the incident at Shenandoah Park in Miami, Florida, on September 25. His sister, Stephany Valladares, said that he was declared brain dead on October 1.
Playground reopened after incident
The playground was temporarily closed, but Local 10 reported that it reopened the following day with the slide back in use. It remains unclear whether the equipment was inspected or repaired before it reopened.
Olvin's mum, Estefanía Valladares, told Local 10 that the man had found her son hanging partway through the slide by his collar. She described how he'd tried to pull the teenager free.
'He told me he pulled on him, but he was caught on a screw,' she said. 'He pulled again, and my son fell out. His arm was inside of his shirt, and his collar was tight around his neck.'
Family's account
It isn't known how long Olvin had been trapped before the man discovered him. Estefanía said that she only found out later that day that her son had been found inside the slide.
Writing on the family's GoFundMe page, Stephany said that the man immediately began giving her brother first aid. Paramedics then arrived and took Olvin to hospital.
Olvin was supposed to be at school on the morning of the incident, his mum said. Instead, he'd ridden his scooter to the park and gone down the large tube slide.
Speaking through tears, Estefanía told Local 10: 'He was my baby, my youngest, just 13 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him. He just wanted to play, and sadly, it was playing that took his life.'
Investigation and tributes
Yellow police tape was reportedly put around the playground after Olvin was found. Local 10 reported that the City of Miami described the inquiry as a 'non-criminal investigation'. City officials have since said that the circumstances remain under investigation. They haven't confirmed the family's account of how Olvin became trapped.
A city spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'Our deepest condolences are with the child's family and loved ones.' They added: 'This matter is under active investigation, and the City is working diligently to gather all the facts and bring closure to the family. To protect the integrity of that process, we are unable to comment further at this time.'
Estefanía has urged other parents to take care when visiting playgrounds with their children. She said: 'I have a message for parents. Be careful taking your children to these parks. Look at the tragedy that happened to my son.' She also spoke about the shock of losing her youngest child. 'As a mother, it's very hard to lose a son. I never thought I would lose my son,' she said.
The family is now asking for help with the cost of Olvin's funeral. Stephany said that donations to the fundraising page would help them give her little brother a final farewell. The appeal had raised more than $18,000. Stephany ended her tribute with the words: 'Rest in peace, Olvin Daniel. You will always be loved and never forgotten.'
