Samuel Jessen Obituary, Death; – A tragic incident occurred last Friday during a Halloween hayride, resulting in the death of a 12-year-old boy.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee released a statement on its official Facebook page concerning a “critical incident” at a local Halloween attraction. According to the statement, deputies were dispatched to The Haunted Hilltop venue at approximately 10:45 p.m. following a report of a juvenile being struck by a tractor.
Upon their arrival, HCSO deputies interviewed a chaperone supervising a group of children who had been playing near the hayride tractor route. They were reportedly hiding behind some bushes in an attempt to scare the riders at the Haunted Hilltop Halloween event. Authorities noted that one of the juveniles had tried to jump onto the trailer but may have slipped and fallen beneath the wheels, where he was subsequently found unresponsive.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that the juvenile, identified by the Chattanooga Times Free Press as Samuel Jessen, age 12, succumbed to his injuries.
In response to the incident, The Haunted Hilltop issued a statement on its official Facebook page, announcing, “Due to the tragic accident that occurred tonight, we will NOT be open tomorrow—Saturday. Our hearts and prayers go out to the affected family. Please keep us all in your prayers!”
The HCSO expressed its condolences, stating, “The HCSO family extends our thoughts and sympathy to the family of the deceased juvenile, as well as to those who witnessed this tragic event. We urge the community to keep this family in their prayers during this challenging time.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to assist with funeral expenses. In the campaign, Jessen was characterized as “full of life” and “a supportive friend” within his church and community. The campaign set a goal of $32,000 and has successfully surpassed that amount, thanks to the generosity of others.
