Toddler Killed in Pumpkin Patch Parking Lot Incident

A two-year-old boy, James Gabriel, died after being struck by a reversing SUV while on a family outing to pick pumpkins at Bullock Farms in Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey. The incident occurred on Saturday morning.

James was walking with his 66-year-old grandmother, Ellen Gabriel, in the farm's parking lot when they were both hit by a Chrysler SUV. The toddler was airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries. His grandmother sustained minor injuries and is recovering in the hospital.

James's parents, Robert and Meiling Gabriel, told NJ.com that they had just arrived at the farm when the tragedy unfolded. Robert Gabriel stated he was walking ahead of his wife and their six-month-old daughter, Evelyn, and did not see the approaching SUV. Upon turning around, he saw his mother trapped beneath the vehicle.

"It was supposed to be a beautiful weekend," Robert Gabriel said. "It was not supposed to be the absolute devastation that it was." He described James as healthy and happy, looking forward to a day of pumpkin picking followed by watching football.

Meiling Gabriel described her son as a bubbly and smart boy who enjoyed watching the cartoon "Bluey" and helping his father with errands. "He was truly the light of our world," she wrote. She added that James and his baby sister, Evelyn, born in May, share the same birthday. "We thought those four months were only the beginning of a lifetime they would share together," she said. "Now Evelyn will grow up knowing her big brother through our stories, photographs, videos, and memories."

The family has established an online fundraising campaign to cover funeral and memorial expenses, raising over $18,000. Bullock Farms and the adjacent Screamin' Hill brewery were closed on Sunday.

Upper Freehold Mayor Stanley Moslowski expressed the community's heartbreak, stating that such an incident had never occurred in their town. He noted that farm workers were offered counseling resources.

Authorities are investigating the incident. Details regarding the driver and any potential charges have not yet been released.