Sleeping 2-Year-Old Killed When Tornado Crashes Tree Through Home
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Sleeping 2-Year-Old Killed When Tornado Crashes Tree Through Home

It's a situation that no parent ever wants to face. Sadly, a 2-year-old died during a recent storm. A tornado caused a tree to crash on his Michigan home, killing the toddler and injuring his mother.

Both the 2-year-old and his mother decided to take an afternoon nap. They were apparently asleep when severe whether swept through the area. "A massive tree was uprooted, falling onto a house and through the roof, landing on a bed," the City of Livonia announced.

In response to the emergency, every available firefighter as well as neighbors worked to free the two from underneath the tree. They rushed out in severe weather to try to save them. Sadly, rescue was slow. Even with dozens of chainsaws and high-pressure airbags, it took them an hour. They removed the broken roof and lifted the tree. Unfortunately, the 2-year-old passed away at the scene of the accident.

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2-Year-Old Killed

Meanwhile, the mother was in critical condition. Paramedics got her to a hospital where her current condition is unknown. Additionally, both the grandmother and a 2-week-old infant were in a separate room.  "This is a terrible tragedy for our community," said Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan. "Our hearts are broken, too, and we send our deepest sympathies."

The storm took the family by surprise. It spawned a devastating tornado. Speeds reach up to 95 mph, according to the National Weather Service's Detroit office. Besides killing the 2-year-old, the tornado left six miles of destruction in Livonia. More than 30,000 residents were without power following the tornado.

The news comes just weeks after a high school senior died when a tree fell on her camper. Kara Bryson was just days away from graduation when she went camping with her friend Callie Parker. A severe storm swept through the area while the two were in the camper. It caused a nearby tree to come crashing down, killing the cheerleader. I put my hands over my head because I wasn't sure what it was," Parker said."It was still pouring, the rain. I was just in complete shock."

The incident happened on Memorial Day weekend. Incidents like these are tragedies left in a storm's wake.