A 13-year-old boy died after his shirt became caught on a screw inside a playground slide at Shenandoah Park in Miami, Florida, his mother, Estefanía Valladares, has recounted.
Olvin Cabrera Valladares was at the park on September 25, not at school as he was supposed to be, when he rode his scooter to Shenandoah Park. He entered a large, enclosed, swirly slide, where his shirt collar became snagged on a screw. He was trapped, and his mother was not alerted to the situation until later that day.
A man visiting the park with his children discovered Olvin. "He told me he pulled on him, but he was caught on a screw," Estefanía told Local 10. "He pulled again, and my son fell out. His arm was inside of his shirt, and his collar was tight around his neck." The boy was found hanging in the middle of the slide, choked by his T-shirt collar.
The man administered first aid until paramedics arrived and transported Olvin to a hospital. He was placed on life support, but on October 1, he was declared brain dead, according to his sister, Stephany Valladares, who posted on a GoFundMe page.
"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," Estefanía said.
The park was closed following Olvin's discovery, and the city of Miami stated it was a "non-criminal investigation." The playground was cordoned off with police tape, but reopened the following day with the slide back in use. It remains unclear if the slide was inspected or repaired before it was reopened.
Estefanía has warned other parents to "be careful taking your children to these parks. Look at the tragedy that happened to my son."
A spokesperson for the city told Local10 that they could not comment on the incident as it is under investigation. The family is currently fundraising to cover funeral costs. As of Tuesday afternoon, over $11,000 had been raised on the GoFundMe page.
