An adorable New Jersey toddler has died after being hit by a reversing car while on a day out picking pumpkins with his family.
James Gabriel, 2, was walking with his grandmother, Ellen Gabriel, 66, in the parking lot of Bullock Farms in Upper Freehold Township on Saturday morning when they were both hit by a Chrysler SUV.
James’s devastated parents, Robert and Meiling, told NJ.com that they had just arrived at the farm when their son was killed.
James was airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center but the toddler succumbed to his injuries.
‘It was supposed to be a beautiful weekend,’ Robert Gabriel said.
‘It was not supposed to be the absolute devastation that it was.’
‘He was as healthy as could be. He was as happy as could be. We were going there to have a good day.’
‘Pumpkin picking and then coming back to my house and watching football.’
James Gabriel, 2, was walking with his grandmother, Ellen Gabriel, 66, in the parking lot of Bullock Farms in Upper Freehold Township on Saturday morning when they were both hit by a Chrysler SUV
James’s devastated parents, Robert and Meiling, said they had just arrived at the farm when their son was killed
Robert said he could not see the driver because he was walking ahead with his six-month-old daughter, Evelyn. When he turned around, he saw his mother Ellen’s head visible beneath the car.
‘She could have been easily killed. She’s lucky,’ he said.
Ellen sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital where she is still recovering.
The family set up an online fundraising campaign for funeral and memorial expenses.
His mother, Meiling, wrote: ‘As his parents, we had a lifetime of plans for James.’
‘Instead, we are now faced with something no parent should ever have to do: saying goodbye to our little boy.’
She described him as a bubbly ‘smart boy’ who loved watching the cartoon Bluey, helped his dad with errands and was ‘truly the light of our world.’
‘It’s never going to be the same without him,’ Robert said.
James’s baby sister Evelyn was born this May, sharing the same birthday as her brother.
Meiling said now her daughter will not be able to share a lifetime together with her big brother.
‘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 raised $18,144 in donations so far.
The family set up an online fundraising campaign for funeral and memorial expenses
The police are investigating the incident and have not yet revealed the details of the driver or whether they will face any charges
Bullock Farms and the Screamin’ Hill brewery adjacent to it remained closed on Sunday, according to the farm’s Facebook page.
Upper Freehold Mayor Stanley Moslowski reacted to the news and said the community was heartbroken.
‘We obviously never had anything like that happen in our town,’ Moslowski said. ‘You go out to have a happy day with young kids, and it turns into a tragedy.’
He added that workers at the farm were offered counseling resources.
The police are investigating the incident and have not yet revealed the details of the driver or whether they will face any charges.
