A two-year-old boy, James Gabriel, died Saturday morning after being struck by a reversing Chrysler SUV while picking pumpkins with his family at Bullock Farms in Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey.
James was walking with his grandmother, 66-year-old Ellen Gabriel, in the farm's parking lot when the incident occurred. The toddler was airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries. His grandmother sustained minor injuries and is recovering at the hospital.
James's parents, Robert and Meiling Gabriel, told NJ.com that they had just arrived at the farm for what was meant to be a family outing. Robert Gabriel stated he could not see the driver at the time of the incident. "It was supposed to be a beautiful weekend," he said. "It was not supposed to be the absolute devastation that it was."
Meiling Gabriel described her son as a bubbly and smart boy who loved watching the cartoon Bluey and was a "light of our world." She added that James shared a birthday with his infant sister, Evelyn, born in May, and that she will now have to grow up knowing her brother only through stories and memories.
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and memorial expenses, raising over $18,000 as of the report. "As his parents, we had a lifetime of plans for James," Meiling wrote on the campaign page. "Instead, we are now faced with something no parent should ever have to do: saying goodbye to our little boy."
Bullock Farms and the adjacent Screamin' Hill brewery were closed on Sunday following the tragedy. Upper Freehold Mayor Stanley Moslowski expressed the community's heartbreak, noting that such an incident had never occurred in the town before. Counseling resources were offered to farm workers.
The police are currently investigating the incident. Details regarding the driver and potential charges have not yet been released.
