Was the Mower Death of Girl Criminally Negligent? | Sia Van Wyck Case Analysis
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
- This video answers the question: Can I analyze the case of Sia Van Wyck?
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This case is so sad. Having grown up on a farm, as you were telling the story I heard my Daddy’s voice telling me to always stay clear of the tractor when he was cutting hay. Everyone here dropped the ball and unfortunately a little girl lost her life. 😢
My step dad was negligent in many, many things; but he was crystal clear about everyone staying away from the brush hog mower when he was using it. It's not just the blades that are dangerous; it can throw objects, like rocks or hidden wire it hits at deadly speeds.
I was also raised on a farm. We were always told to go outside and play and never, ever go near the tractor or any farm equipment being used in the field. We were allowed to ride with Dad or Grandpa when they had disconnected the equipment and returned to the house or barn.
It's very sad her grandparents didn't think to tell her the same thing. It sounds like they were a little distracted and forgot (the girl wasn't familiar with farm life) when it mattered most.
I have never personally seen anyone operating farm equipment stop unless their wife or farm hand waves them down, so for Morgan to basically ignore her sounds right. He may have stopped when he came back around to holler at her, but that would be about it. Very sad case.
I agree 100% with your comment.
Yep, my grandpa made us kids stay in the house when he was mowing.
@@RMcCoy-fb4rs Would you mind expanding on why an obvious attempt to get help by the little lass - acknowledged by the tractor driver - was routinely ignored, in your experience?
A seven year old on unfamiliar territory should have been supervised. Period
Farms ARE dangerous places. It’s a shame Sia’s grandmother didn’t make Sia aware of that and keep a closer eye on her.
Exactly
I only recently realized, at 65, how crazy it was for my parents to let me go horseback riding, starting at age 9, out in the woods. I rode for miles and miles, all day sometimes, alone, bareback (no saddle). We lived off the grid in the wilderness where cougars and bears lived. I never got injured save for a scratch here or there from a blackberry vine, let alone murdered by a mountain lion! I wouldn't have let my kids do that!
What a beautiful life to live as a child. Most times we played outside nothing bad happened to us. ‘61 here. People knew their neighbors and watched out for them.
@@tinawindham6958 Our nearest neighbor was about 13 miles away. They were also off the grid. No phones, no electricity. Later we got a nearer neighbor, about 5 miles and they had a phone so we called them on the CB from the truck. Ha ha. Kids today can't even imagine how I grew up.
I did the same as you, riding bareback all day on my own from the age of 8 til back pain made e stop at 48. Having my own child I couldn't believe my parents let me do that also. But damn, it was great!
I am quite jealous of you ladies- the way you were raised sounds like heaven to me! I grew up in the country but we didn't have any animals, let alone horses to ride off into the sunset! Cherish the way you grew up- chances are no kids will ever experience that kind of childhood freedom again
@@brandycarter9829 I know how lucky we were and I wish every child could experience that freedom. Sadly, you're right about the reality of life today, seems like the world lost its innocence and now there's so much to be cautious about.
I was raised on a farm, with many tractors. A tractor is a very large drive train. It is a machine, like a huge engine attached to wheels. They are entirely made out of heavy steel and cast iron. Tractors have ZERO mercy and ZERO consideration for biological organisms. Think of them as a giant meat grinder on wheels. Little kids should be nowhere near a tractor. When I was two or three, I sat on my grandfather's lap as he mowed his meadow. The tractor was a Farmall Cub (IH). Grandpa put the tractor in neutral, and put the brake down, which had a lever pulled over it to keep the brake on. That's how you kept the tractor from moving while in neutral. Somehow I kicked the lever up, and the tractor started rolling toward the tree line. I was a boy on a tractor--of course I was going to try what I just saw Grandpa doing! Wouldn't he be proud of me! Grandpa turned around and yelled, "Hey!" He ran like greased lightning. He jumped up on the tractor, which is such a dangerous thing to do, like you wouldn't believe, because if he had stepped in front of the rear wheels, it would have been over for him, and wouldn't have turned out so good for me, either. That incident was one of about three memories I have from my pre-verbal stage. Another was eating out of our dog's bowl, and the neighbor laughing about it. But that's a story for another day!
this is the kind of story that makes me wish i grew up on a farm, but knowing it could've been death for you both makes me glad i'm a suburban kid :') lol
Farms are dangerous. Lots of farming accidents and deaths every year.
No thank you
😂😂😂😂
@@erdelegy WTF
If a child enters the area being mowed. You stop the operation until the child has been removed. Period.
Right. Unless they don't care and are likely going to hit them so must want to hit them then. I suppose thinking it's the small child's fault for being there is the adult and responsible way to go... 😔 May Sia RIP
This is very easy to say in light of the video we've just seen.
Actually, in the light of being a career equipment operator myself, this is entirely inexcusable as the operator clearly saw the child and did not stop.
@@j.d.thompson3505 Agreed.
@@eadweard. so what reasons would one have to not stop then, if we are looking at it from both sides? "It's very easy to say." Tell us what we might not be considering, then. Enlighten us.
I was working for the same tractor company, J.I. Case Co. , when the service manager accidentally ran over his own 2 year old child with a large articulating wheel loader, and killed him. Children should NEVER be anywhere near heavy equipment, not even if Dad is a respected service manager.
SO SAD, & SO AVOIDABLE.
WTH
That’s horrendous. 🥺
@@sayhello5377 Yes it was, it happened on a Saturday. I had the day off, and thankfully didn't see it happen. I won't ever forget that phone call from my supervisor giving me the horrendous news. It's been almost 40 years ago now.
That is so terribly tragic. Like you said, the machines are inherently dangerous. These accidents can happen to anyone.
@@lynnehuff9659 Only if "anyone" doesn't follow basic safety principles. His child shouldn't have had been there in the first place.
It was a business that sold, and repaired heavy equipment, not a day care center.
I grew up on a farm and you almost never look back when operating the tractor in a field because to keep straight lines, you need to focus on a point in the distance. As soon as you turn your body around, you run the risk of deviating from your line and missing some crops and have to do an added pass. It's mindless tedious work that you just go into autopilot mode for.
What a horrible tragedy. RIP Sia and my condolences to her family and friends. I hope that the old farmer gets therapy. Sounds like he needs it.
@Paul V I agree, and that leads me to blame the relatives for not looking after the child. It isn’t the old farmer’s fault that a kid was on his property uninvited.
@@sayhello5377 There are many situations where irresponsible, negligent, or harmful actions committed by one party lead an unrelated party to be confronted with an unexpected responsibility. It is the not the fault of the second party that that happened, but we live in a society and we are always burdened with some degree of responsibility to those within our vicinity. If a child, or any vulnerable person, is unexpectedly in our space due to someone else's negligence, we STILL have the duty to take reasonable precautions not to harm that child, even though those precautions may require certain actions we would otherwise not have to take or want to take. It's part of the social contract. Yes the first party is also responsible for their negligence.
Yeah that is absolutely true but that still doesn't take away from the fact that he probably was drinking while operating this tractor. In fact I almost guarantee it, it's not abnormal
You did not grow up. Maybe you did not look back but every time as a youngster on the farm that I ran equipment hooked up to a Farmall 400 I sat sideways so I could see the implement and where I was steering. I ran a plow, disc, harrow, sickle blade hay mower, hay baler, rake and tedder and a grain drill
I'm the sort of person people would say needs to 'get therapy', but it's such a stupid thing to say to someone who's been traumatized. The last thing you want is some idiot who hasn't been through what you've been through thinking they can tell you anything of value because they have some degree.
I grew up on a farm in Texas. They are deceptively calm and peaceful places. - Lots of heavy machinery, sharp tools, environmental dangers, and even wild animals. I can name 3 times off the top of my head where I could have lost my life, and its far worse for a little girl who hadnt grown up in that environment. Roland had his issues, but her family bears just as much (if not more) responsibility for knowingly allowing her to roam freely with large equipment operating nearby. You can hear those tractors operating mowing equipment for over a mile. I used to wear headphones to muffle the sound even in the tractor's enclosed cabin. Her family needs to reflect on their own terrible choices that day.
Sad, sad story.
Sosad
Crying soooosad
Roland needs AA
@@cherylcaardillo1702 ...mmmmmm
?
He saw her and kept going. I can’t believe he didn’t stop right there. Manslaughter at least.
What a painful tragedy. In my opinion, when it comes to the supervision of small children I usually lean on the side of over-precaution. I have witnessed a few instances in which terrible things happened to children in a split of a second. Personally, I was hit by a car when I was 7 and that’s all it took, a millisecond distraction.
Excellent analysis as usual. Thank you, Dr. Grande.❤
I sometimes think that it is a true miracle that any of us grow up unscathed! I was minding a friend's two year old just for literally a second while she got him a cookie and he fell and cut his head on the coffee table and needed stiches! He still has the scar! Literally seconds! So sorry about your own accident! 😓
@@bthomson Oh no poor thing!🥺
Things like this happen so fast, even with the most attentive parent.
Thank you, Judy.
I can always count on Rejane to be supportive and lovely! Thanks, friend! 💐
@@bthomson Thank you Judy, you are always so sweet and kind!💕
I’m with you. I feel like people who want to let 5-8 year olds run around unsupervised are missing the point. It’s not necessarily we’re worried about a stranger abduction, it’s that kids that age have poor judgment as a rule, and are in danger from traffic hazards, heavy machinery, and especially older children. There are very few 5-7 year olds who can’t be tricked by a worldly wise tween who wants to take advantage of them.
Dogs are not babysitters. Kids shouldn't be left in their care, especially in dangerous areas. Everyone failed that poor little girl. RIP Sia.
Dogs can be trained to watch over young ones
@@rezcellent yeah in the house and maybe back in the day before we realized how to properly take care of children. not wandering around outside. you never know what a dog could see outside that could make them act different.
It wasn't a "dangerous area"
Roland saw her. She didn't need to be babysat by a dog because a grown man saw her and should have stopped. The dog has nothing to do with it.
There’s so much negligence here it is astounding. The fact that Roland noticed the girl running around and did not immediately stop is remarkable to me.
But the whole situation was created by a huge lack of awareness by her grandmother, who gave 0 thought to the danger. RIP Sia.
You say "so much negligence" but you might read what @Edith Nackers (above) said. It is true that while operating a tractor like that one rarely looks behind; the focus is on the field in front to ensure straight mowing. (One wouldn't be turning one's head around to see what's behind when driving on a highway.) The biggest failure that I see is that of the girl's relatives who apparently assumed she'd know to steer clear of the tractor. A child unfamiliar with farm equipment would not know; she would have to be instructed, and this child wasn't or she wouldn't have ended up running around near a tractor in a neighbor's field.
@@50sVintage how about you all stop trying to blame someone and take into consideration that tragedies happen and this affected everyone involved in a terrible way
I’m a city person so I have no real knowledge about tractors and mowers, but I don’t see any negligence here. Heavy machinery usually never stops and starts as easily as cars. I too would assume a child old enough to walk a dog would know to keep away from machinery, and go on with work. Perhaps the legal definition of negligence is different where I am from, but he was working on his own property, and at least here you’re not required to build fences around a field to keep out strangers, the responsibility falls on strangers not to trespass.
@@lane2128 and some tragedies can be avoided and thus not cause death and trauma to all those left behind.
People need to think a bit more. Freak accidents happen, this IMO was not in that category. A good example would be all the avoidable swimming pool drownings. You have a pool and a toddler put a fence, full stop or suffer the consequences It's heart-wrenching how many kids die each year from drowning and it only seems to get worse. Must we mandate first responders go to each pool-owning parents and force them to fence it up or no pool for them? what is the answer sigh...
This type of tradegy is never caused by one single event, it is always a cumulation, it is what it is, sometimes you have an innocent young child, and a cantankerous old man, and bad stuff happened, this is where you should always consider potential outcomes. Chucking around blame here is in the grey area.
And having worked on farms with tractors myself... It is not a safe environment
Our law school personal injury book was full of lawn mower accidents. It's mind numbing how many people just let their kids run around when dangerous equipment is being used. Even small mowers can be dangerous around a child. My lawyer step-father actually enjoyed mowing the grass. We were never allowed in the yard when he was doing so. I guess the personal injury text he had used in school was full of lawn mower accidents as well.
I use a hand-pushed reel mower, and that's one reason, but i have a small lawn.
🌱🌱🌱
We had to cut the grass
This makes me feel better about being a cautious parent.
@@DottieMinerva just use common sense... don't live in constant fear of what might happen. Your kids will have mental issues.
One of those stories you're hoping doesn't turn out like you're expecting while hearing him tell it.
What a tragic and senseless death. One thing that never ceases to horrify me is how often caretakers of a child assume she/he knows things without being ever taught by the caretakers themselves, and how entitled they feel to having strangers accommodate and care for their children in a way themselves often don't. Of course, it's basic human decency to care about a child's safety regardless of blood ties, but it's still something we should never count on, or feel entitled to.
Well said
He saw her and kept going.
That's why blame is shared.
I just feel so bad for everyone in this story. That poor little girl, her parents, her grandparents, and that man. Nobody in this story has ill intentions, nobody wanted anyone hurt. This is just a tragic, horrible, accident
Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. No one could have predicted each occurrence that so tragically went together to cause this! But we can ALL learn from it!
@@bthomson ??? You see a girl on the grass you're mowing and you cannot imagine accidentally hurting her? you have no intuition. You leave a little girl to run around all alone outside and you cannot imagine something bad happening? so irresponsible. I'd say its pretty obvious and easy to intuit that something could happen, you are myopic to think a 7 year old would be totally fine running around a farm. Maybe I am young but I would not leave a kid alone like that and I would think that getting drunk before operating a tractor is dangerous. She couldve been kidnapped, hit by car, injured by a wild animal or something else, etc. I dont think the grandparents should be in jail but I wouldnt blame Sias parents if they blamed them but the old man def is at fault and should be jailed.
That fact that he basically ran from the scene is mind-boggling. He didn't even go to call for help. Instead he poured himself a glass of whiskey. 🤦♀️
Negligence can be criminal, it's not " just" an accident. I can understand you saying that if he hadn't seen her at all, THEN it would have just been an accident.
10:40 Exactly. When the driver saw the girl on the field should have stopped the tractor and tell the girl to leave the field entirely.
Well we all know that now.
Accidents happen and when a child is involved it’s tragic!
We want someone to blame; someone needs to pay!
I agree with your comments Dr Grande.
It only takes a minute. Look hard and look twice!
for sure "someone has to pay" attitude goes on when there is a child involved. tbh I would have acted like an irrational crazy alcoholic fool if I killed a child too he probably is riddled with guilt. can u imagine?😞
Just admit also that kids are fucking annoying, and that we're reducing the prospects of future Kim Kardashians and Logan Paul's by taking a lawn mower to them
I guess driving tractors for half a lifetime could inure a person to such fears, but I think I'd be just about shitting my pants if someone -- let alone a kid -- appeared behind me while I was driving one while waving their arms to get my attention. I'd think that they were trying to alert me about something related to the possibility of someone being macerated and I'd like to think that I'd come out of whatever trance this guy may have been in and investigated. The first thing that would come to mind is that she might have had a friend who got caught up in the blades or was about to do so. I don't want to judge him too harshly, which is a possibility since I've never driven a tractor and I know next to nothing about farming and the circumstances surrounding the incident, but it doesn't exactly seem forgivable.
He really should have stopped the tractor and shoo'd her away after he first noticed her. Strange that he kept going.
It isnt an accident when idiot Grandparents dont even MENTION a tractor and mower that is already in operation when a little girl is allowed tonwander off when on their farm.
It is neglect, and a tragedy, and a terrible way for a young girl to die and for an old man to have to deal with at the end of his life.
Maybe he went home and drank that whiskey because he already was drunk and knew it would be obvious when the paramedics arrived. If he was drinking when the cops showed up at his house, there wouldn’t be any way to tell when he started drinking. Lots of alcoholics can mow in a straight line with a high BAC.
I think that was the implied in the video.
Yes and it’s not the first time he’s drank and drove in this community
People who drink a lot would want a drink. I think that is it.
I'm a farmer and if you're mowing and hit something you shouldn't, even if it's a huge tractor hitting a tiny person, it gets your attention. The monotonous drone of just hitting plant matter is broken. For it not to do so I'd guess he was intoxicated.
I never thought of that. I don't know what it's like to mow and operate machinery. A lot of the people commenting, like you, know firsthand.
Dr Grande, this is an evolving and intense story. A British nurse who is accused of killing many babies by insulin injection, saline water injection into the stomach, air into the bloodstream. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. She is currently on trial and more things are currently being revealed as it progresses.
Is the trial in the US or where?
@@RMcCoy-fb4rs No, it's in the UK. It's the top story on the BBC website. I believe there are 17 potential babies that have died at the hands of this nurse, and I think she's facing 22 charges.
Isn't it awful 🤬!! Crazy unfortunate situations of children/babies targeted!!! Crazy place this world is today!😡
it would be pretty helpful in idk, finding the story and all, if you gave some kind of name associated with it?
@@lorenfulghum2393 I believe they’re talking about Lucy Letby
I’m 52 and grew up on a farm. I was allowed to roam freely from an early age with limited supervision. Fast forward to today. I have a 16 year old and work as a preschool teacher. Parenting has changed. Nowadays parents wouldn’t dream of letting their children roam like I did. I think it’s a generational thing.
I grew up working on family dairy farms, each with a variety of large, powerful and dangerous (in the wrong hands) farm equipment. As a child, we are taught never to enter a field which is being harvested, especially where it has not yet been cut. When I was old and responsible enough to begin operating machinery, I was taught how to do those jobs as well in a responsible manner. I can say from experience that operating a tractor with mower as described does require concentrated attention to the task and primarily involves making sure the tractor and mower are operating properly, that you are properly aligned as you make your rounds, etc. Although awareness of the environment outside of the equipment operation is a responsibility, it is not the main focus. You do not expect pedestrians, pets, etc. to be where you are working. It is apparently easy to vilify a person going about their business in such a manner by those who do not understand it. Consider that the child was allowed to wander into essentially a dangerous industrial environment where heavy equipment was being operated. In this setting a child or pet are not expected to be there and can easily be overlooked among the operational requirements of the job. On the other hand, if the farmer had simply shut down, addressed the child waving its arms at the moment he recognized it, much could have been avoided.
What would you have done if you were this man, and knew a child was right there near you, flailing her arms to get your attention? Ignore her? It doesn't seem like any responsible farmer would do that. I know it was an accident, she shouldn't have been there, etc.......but he did the wrong thing.
@@LDiamondz lmao put that energy towards her clearly negligent parents 😂 a tractor is not some silent machine…they would have had to hear the damn thing and still let their small child run ragged like the world is her playground … not his problem nor should she have been there unsupervised on his property whatsoever
@@giiavvana "I know it was an accident, she shouldn't have been there, etc....but he did the wrong thing." Never said the father/grandparents weren't partially responsible. See?
@@LDiamondz at the end of the day your own children’s safety is your own responsibility as a parent. sad way for them to wake up to reality.
It’s also your neighbors responsibility to keep their toddlers out of your driveway.. It doesn’t mean you keep driving if you see one near your car. What do you do? You stop the car, check your surroundings. Geez people are cold.
I don’t think Ronald is a saintly man by any means but I do think this was completely an accident.
He’s probably the kind of man thats like “my tractor will most likely scare away any kids or animals” and that’s that.
But if he was drinking BEFORE he got on the tractor....
I live local to this farm….. he has a problem with drinking and driving and so it’s really frustrating that he finally kills someone and is not held accountable
This is such a sad story. I know everyone involved wish they could go back and do things differently. I’m a city girl but I know how dangerous farms are; Dr. Grande hit it on the head, what seems frightening to adults can cause curiosity in children. R.I.P little Sia!
I grew up on the farm. Most people where I grew up were farmers. Try telling them they should stop the tractor every time they see a child. Never happened. It's just how things are. People get used to being around such things. Unfortunately, that young girl was not used to it at all. And paid the ultimate price.
I don’t understand how it could have happened, makes no sense to me, what was the kid doing
@@willnill7946 Likely she was hiding in the grass.
@@willnill7946 the dog was a rescue not raised on a farm.
The dog likely got loose and ran towards the mower because from a distance when it is running ,these mowers sound like a growling animal.
The little girl reacted trying to protect the dog and got too close to the mower while the driver was looking forward .
The little girl assumed he could see her and would stop.
Drivers of tractors like this do not drive looking backwards at the blades unless they hit a big rock or piece of wood that makes a big banging sound.
The girl simply walked into a running buzzsaw by accident.
She should have never been walking that dog there like that ...that day.
The dog should have been on a long chain in the yard so it could walk itself.
I lived on a farm, but I had lots of relatives living in their own houses on the farm. The kids usually hung out and did everything together, and the younger ones learned from the older ones what was dangerous and what was safe. This poor girl. This story is a hard one.
Are you serious about stopping a tractor. That's bullsh*t that little girl was trying to tell him her dog got away and you're saying you can't stop the tractor. You are a sick bast*rd.
Excellent analysis Dr.Grande.
Farms are no place for dogs never raised on farms and children too small to control them.
Rest In Peace, Sia.
that is an extremely fair assessment, and edactly what my wife and I were saying; we live in the rural upper Midwest and have both been around mowers and harvesters and tractors our whole ilves. You absolutely must teach your children how to behave in dangerous environments, and being a cantankerous old drunk might make you decidedly unpleasant, but it isn't illegal. It was her parent's responsibility to not allow her onto someone else's property in a dangerous situation. You'd hope he'd have enough sense to get off his tractor and give her a good tongue lasing himself about jumping and playing around dangerous machinery, but unfortunately, you can't count on it. Parents have to look out for their children and take responsibility!
Exactly.
True, but the mother wasn't there. It was a daddy/daughter trip. I'm just surprised that a 72 year old man missed an opportunity to stop and yell, "GET OFF OF MY LAWN!" It's what they do. 😉
@@LDiamondz For the gir's sake, I wish he had've.
@@Hawaiian_Shirt_guy same :(
My brother ran me over with the lawn mower too when I was 5 and he was 8. He was just driving it around for fun so the blades were not on. My dad was gardening and I was standing next to my dad watching him garden. He said "watch out" so I backed up right into the lawn mower. My dad meant to watch out for the lawn mower behind us but I thought he meant to watch out for something he was going to do in the garden. My brother should have definitely not been driving a lawn mower at that age and not so close to use. I thank God periodically throughout my life that the blades were off... I feel so terrible for this little girl. 💔
Living in the country or on farm land is not the same as living in a rural area or a city. Our kids go outside and play. They run all over the place. They go in the woods. They jump in streams. They play in fields. This truly sounds like a horrific accident. We can all say, "they should have"...but that's with the benefit of hindsight. I'm sure the man that killed her thinks a 100 times of day that he should have stopped and checked that the girl was out of the field. He's clearly extremely distraught and traumatized by what he did. The fact he went home and drank tells me he was in shock. The brain doesn't function well under extreme distress. Putting him in jail isn't going to punish him any more than he is clearly punishing himself. He's a 72 year old man and has to live what few years he has left with the image of that girl in his head.
💯
@@somethingelse4424 Well said.
That girl wasn’t familiar with the area and outside alone with a rescue dog, that could have behavior problems. I think grandma is the one to blame.
@@fang3839 Dad was there. Ultimately, it's his responsibility to watch his own child. Not grandma.
Isn't rural area inclusive of the countryside and farm land? Why do you put it in the same category of cities? Do you mean suburban?
A friend of my fathers was using a bush hog (or brush hog, basically a huge mower pulled and powered by a farm tractor) when he was swept off the tractor seat by a tree limb. He fell underneath and was hacked up by the spinning 6 foot blade. He didn't notice the tree ahead because it's common to drive a bush hog looking backward over your shoulder at the mower deck. He was 35, left a wife and 3 children. There are many ways farm equipment can maim or kill you, even if you know what your doing.
My dad and brother used a brush hog. We or the pets weren't allowed near when they were cutting a field.
I own a brush hog. Basically tractor accessories are all dangerous because they are powered for things much stronger than the human body. That's extremely unfortunate such a small thing misnoticed was immediately detrimental to that guy. Even attaching the accessories is dangerous and has caused many arms ripped off
Any one waving their arms in front of an operating vehicle is the universal sign for stop the vehicle. Although not as often done, any one running behind an operating vehicle waving one’s arms is the universal sign for something may be wrong, stop and see what the person waving their arms, while running after the vehicle, needs.
I grew up around farming equipment, we were told constantly to stay cleat of the tractors and all farm equipment because the operator cannot hear you and can't always see you. We obeyed but I remember when my city cousins would come down for 2 weeks in the summer it was like dealing with newborns. They had no idea about anything farm related. Growing up we wondered alone for miles with no supervision. It was normal for country kids but that's because we knew what to stay away from and how things worked. I can understand her grandma not thinking much of it letting her go unsupervised. She didn't stop to think about how unprepared her grand daughter was for rural life. Sad all the way around
If she was jumping up and down, that means that she was not holding on to the dog's leash anymore. If he had one. Maybe he got away and she was trying to alert him because she was afraid he'd run over the dog?
Good point
He was most negligent by leaving her to bleed out while he got himself a drink! She lived to the next day. If he had tried to tie off her leg she might have lived.
@@chlorhex6785 when her grandmother came over he told her to leave get her husband and call police he then went home for his drink. He wasn't with her when they arrived. They found him at home drinking. That's what it said in the story anyway. If it was on a road it would have been called a hit and run. He left the scene of a horrific accident he was involved in.
And as someone local to this community … Roland drinks and drives and it’s been a problem. And he finally kills someone and no consequences
i dont believe he was some super hero doctor who could have done anything more than everyone else who was already there.
@@chlorhex6785 you still don’t leave the scene of an accident. He can stand 100 yards and face the other way, but you don’t intentionally move yourself and the machinery away from the scene of any serious accident.
I think he immediately Went to get a drink because he had already been drinking and didn’t want to get nailed on a breathalyzer.
Idk anything about Nova Scotia but it sounds like the area they were in was pretty rural. I spent a few years of my life in a very rural community in Tennessee, and I can not imagine either of these negligent individuals being charged there either. The culture is simply different.
In an area like that, a 7 year old would be considered plenty old enough to know better…. And therefor no one would have expected the girl to be there
I agree. At age 7 she should have known better than follow a mowing tractor. It didn’t mention how she came to be under those blades. Did he back over her?
@@terryKessler42719 from what I read about it after watching this video, it seems most likely that she was crouching down in the grass, as if she was hiding, though I can’t imagine why she’d be hiding like that so maybe there was some other explanation for her crouching down like that. The grass was so high that he would likely not have been able to see her. It seems he was traveling forward when she was killed, but it seems likely that he simply did not see her whatsoever and had no idea he had hit a child until he had traveled further away and happened to see her.
@@terryKessler42719 he had seen her behind the tractor as if she was trying to get his attention, but he chose not to stop or engage with her, which seems rude but isn’t immoral or illegal. He’s allowed to be an ornery old man who drinks too much. He stated that it appeared she gave up trying to get his attention and that he watched her head away from his property, so he believed that she had left the field all together. I guess she must have returned, which would make sense if she were looking for the dog. I wonder if maybe she tripped and fell somehow and that’s why she was on the ground.
finally some one who makes sense
rural places like this are not NYC
kids run free
most know enough to stay clear of a mower
or an old crotchety man
This story is disturbing. Traumatizing in fact! I feel that Morgan and Roland were both extremely careless. I feel sad for Sia, for the life she could have had.
What a tragic case.
This is so Heartbreaking My prayers and condolences to the family 🙏🙏
Regardless of negligence, he ought to have stopped when he saw her as it was obviously likely that she needed help. From his point of view, it could indeed have been that the dog was loose (if he knew about him) but she could just have been lost (if she couldn’t see her grandparents’ farm due to the grass or topography) or an adult from her family could have suffered an emergency. No one reasonable sees a child waving for help and just carries on.
Especially people who know the damage farm equipment can do. Which, according to many people commenting, anyone who grew up on a farm knows.
What a sad, horrific story. Im almost sure I won't be able to shake this depressing feeling for days or even weeks. The only thing I liked about this video is that Dr.Grande taught me a new word ''Contankerous". Im still learning English, and can't wait the first opportunity to use it in school. Thank you Dr. Grande.
Dr Grande liked your comment!!
Just should be enough to make your day!! Try to be happy😊🧡. I know it’s hard because I am depressed also…but every so often something happens where you just can’t allow yourself to be down (ie: a sunny day; a happy toddler; a beautiful flower all have the ability to make your mind i depressed for awhile…I try to extend these moments and force my brain back to happiness mode.)
Have a great day😊
@@siouxd799 Ohh my goodness, thank you so much for your kind words. Im so touched by your comment that I realized I want to do something nice to someone as well. That will make me feel better for sure!
Also next time I go feed walnuts to squirrels in our neighborhood woods to help them prepare for the winter, I'll tell them they're from a beautiful girl called Sia. She loved animals. Thank you again, bless your heart.☺️❤️💙
More tragically, had Rowland applied a tourniquet instead of abandoning the injured girl he might have saved her life.
Right. And he had no cell phone on him. He just left her and drove back home.
Many failed this little girl. The jackass should have stopped the tractor when he saw her running behind. Grandmother should kept an eye on her and the police didn't do their job. I can't imagine the horror went through that little girl's mind. Rest now little girl in heaven.
Yes, and her father was there as well!
I remember the War Amps PSA's from the 80's about avoiding dangerous machines like tractors, trucks and buses. I knew a guy that lost his leg to a garbage truck.
I guess after viewing a lot of the Dr.Grande videos, my summary on how to live life is BE VIGILANT AND SOBER.
see a child in your mirror in this case, you stop immediately, make sure the child is out of the field then carry on with your job, to me its common sense.
also make sure there are no other children around
Agree, especially since she was waving her arms. That fact alone makes it seem like she needed him to stop for some reason and he didn't.
Thinking back, I was a kid on farm until the age of 11. We just learned very early there are farm machines, keep away from them specially when they are operational. She was living in the city had no concept of the danger.
Maine ?
it's so sad that people get too comfortable in familiar situations that they relax about things they shouldn't. it's a hideous reminder to keep your eyes on children and make sure they're safe.
I can’t imagine why the girl would get anywhere close to such a big, loud and scary machine unless the dog got loose and was chasing after it. I hate that this beautiful and caring child found herself in this situation without knowing how to handle it. Ultimately, she most likely put the dog’s safety before her own in an attempt to rescue it. This is so heartbreaking. All of the adults failed her.
This is effectively fan fiction.
@@eadweard. okay, this girl was no toddler. You try explaining why she would get so close to the tractor and put herself in harm’s way.
She may have been abit lost also…the dog broke away….& she saw an adult to ask for help. Little did she know he couldn’t hear her..
@@siouxd799 True, he did see her, though. He should have stopped, as any responsible farmer would have. Tragic thing to have happened to this little girl.
@@angelatheriault8855 Exactly! I’ve seen several commenters literally calling the girl stupid or “slow” for it! However, given the circumstances and the details we already know for certain, the theory about her chasing after the dog is the only reasonable explanation there is! Other than the dog getting away from her, why else would she be waving her hangs trying to flag down a complete stranger while on his tractor? (And note, with BOTH HANDS too so clearly, she wasn’t holding the leash or the dog at this point!) I swear, people kill me! At 7 years old, a child absolutely does know better than to play in from of a moving tractor. However, one that is distressed and preoccupied because she is anxiously looking for her grandmother’s dog? I can definitely see it happening. And it did. And honestly, this is EXACTLY how I would expect a 7 year old to handle the situation. It’s just a shame that she wasn’t old enough to realize that the best thing she could have done was simply to go home and to tell her dad and grandma so that they could then go look for the dog when it was safe to do so. The poor girl was probably scared too. It’s just terrible any way you look at it, but it’s really not too too difficult to infer what might have happened here.
This is a hard one. Theres negligence on many parts, that when all aligned together, made for a horribly tragic, heartbreaking incident. If one thing wouldve happened differently, by even a few seconds, it may not have happened. Then again, theres a reason why they tell people not to get too comfortable doing things youve done for years. Accidents due to complacency. This was tragic on so many levels. This was an excellent episode, Dr. Grande.
It's perfectly lawful, at least in the United States, to get falling-down drunk and operate a motor vehicle on your own private property. Also in most states, trespassing laws apply to cultivated land even in the absence of signs or fences. Sia's parents were responsible for keeping her off the neighbor's property, especially when he is running farm equipment, sober or inebriated, on his own cultivated land.
The grandparents/parents are the main cause for blame. Especially the grandparents. They live on or near farmland and should know how dangerous it can be. An unsupervised child is dangerous regardless of where they are, but in an unfamiliar rural area...it's like the adults had NO common sense. The tractor driver *should* have stopped when he saw the kid, though {IMO}.
💯 if anyone should be charged it should be the parents or grandparents
And it sounds like it was not clear (to Sia) where the grandparents' property ended. It's not at all uncommon for a farmer's land to not all be next to his house, if his field was right near their house, Sia should have been told a) where specifically to walk the dog, b) where NOT to go, c) and IF the dog did pull away, not to chase him.
Yeah. Even if he's a terrible human being, it wasn't his fault that someone's child was unsupervised on his property. It's like hitting a kid that's crossing the street at the wrong time.
@@nickyblue4866 NO. Not the grandparents. Roland was more culpable. As a free-range child myself, (back in the 60s)I wish there were more options for kids today without their parets/grandparents/caregivers having to watch their every move. At about that age (7) I found myself totally lost in the woods. Yes, I was scared, but with common sense I got home on my own in time for dinner. Would I have liked being more montored? Absolutely not, and I would have learned a lot less in such a circumstance.
Thank You, as ALWAYS, Dr. Grande! Enjoy your day!
Well done - Dr Grande shows compassion and respect for all parties. I am always pleased to see that he never goes into “witch-hunt” mode.
This was just a horrible tragedy. Sia likely put herself in harms way trying to save her grandmother’s dog.
You have a negligent grandmother and a grumpy farmer, both could have taken different actions and Sia would still be with us today.
I had a glass of whiskey in my hand last night, this indicates that I have been drunk every time I mowed my lawn.
Don't forget your past conviction for assault. At age 72, that conviction may have been more than 50 years ago, or it may have been this year, but it's a conviction, so you're of course more likely to run over a child with your mower today.
@Paulie Pavarowtee While I do frequently aim for humor in my comments, this time I was only pointing out the absurdity in police thinking, along with the OP. Cops really do weigh past convictions heavily toward a person's guilt in a situation that isn't even related to the nature of said conviction.
I know it's off of the subject, but that ball in your profile picture is so beautiful. It reminds me of a glass bead.
@@lynnehuff9659 aww thanks :) It's just a small bit cropped from a larger image of a tie die swirl, what is cool tho, I have been using it as my profile pic for years, so if you google my name it comes up in the image results.
@@HowardSchoonover That is, cool.
Dr. Grande--well this tragedy did not make my day better. Thank you for your analysis. Rest In Peace Sia, and may the families have peace also. 💕from Jean
My thoughts exactly, Dr. Grande. There just aren't any winners or losers in this sad case where a little girl died. I think Sia's adults seriously failed her. She was a beautiful child with a beautiful name and she will always be missed by all who knew her. I just can't see where the retired gentleman can be held responsible. NS's court system ruled, I think, correctly. But I'm sad about what happened to little Sia.
This is a common accident, and these accidents do happen. Family members should have not allowed her to walk alone in the area (farm fields) she was not familiar with. This is very sad.
How awful for that poor girl and her family.😢 Excellent analysis, Dr. Grande! ❤️
I can agree with you on the negligence being on both parties. I have a 6-year-old son that knows not to run off by himself, but that doesn't mean that I'm not tracking where he is at any given moment.
Very tragic story. I was wondering why she was behind him waving her arms. I thought maybe she was just being silly or wanting to ride in the tractor with him but your analysis that maybe the dog had gotten away from her is probably spot on. Its crazy that a grown man wouldn't think to immediately stop the tractor to explain to her how dangerous it was for her to be out there and make sure she got off his property safely. And the fact he didn't stick around to help afterward and went home makes me think that he probably was drinking and wanted to put off seeing law enforcement as long as possible. He might have even went straight home to make himself a drink so that when he did come face to face with any police officers he could say any alcohol he had in his system was from the drink he made when he got back home. Just a guess. I could be totally wrong.
All valid points. I agree, as the operator of heavy machinery, it was his responsibility to make sure he was safely doing so. He did see the girl. If he hadn't, I'd think it was unavoidable.
I totally agree.
The thing is though, they don't stop. They can't turn around easily and most of them assume that all kids are instructed to stay away from all operating farm equipment. He likely thought she was playing and figured he would yell at her when he got back around. They usually will yell at you because they are angry at you for breaking the golden rule of farming. They also get mad they have to shut the equipment down.
It would have been different if her grandparents (or even her parents) would have remembered to warn her about the equipment. My grandmother told us every single time we stepped foot outside and we already knew better.
The farmer likely went home when he saw her leg thinking she was already deceased. It's very unlikely a child would survive long after severing the leg. It's surprising to me she survived until the following day after something so horrific happened.
It's a very sad tragedy that many people will blame themselves and often each other for the rest of their lives.
I don’t drink at all and I think seeing something that horrific would cause anyone to want to have a drink. I don’t believe Roland deserves to be charged, it’s a horrible accident but no child should be left alone around heavy machinery like that without at least being told of the danger- the family of this child unfortunately let her wander into what the grandparents should know is a very dangerous situation.... and a horrible accident resulted.
or maybe the thought that his poor judgement , ( not getting off the tractor and making sure the girl left and was safe), upset him so that he went and got a drink. I can't imagine how being in that situation. My dad once hit a childwho ran his bike in front of his car, kid got a concussion , it really wasn't dad's fault but it haunted him for years. Then again dad didn't go home and drink. It's foolish to go drink after an accident because that makes cops and a jury think you were drinking when it happened. I think its possible the girl may have slipped and fallen when chasing the dog because of slippery grass, uneven terraine or because maybe she was wearing flipflops for instance. That's why the farmer should've stopped the tractor and made sure she was no longer in the field before contuing to mow.
Having spent a few years in Nova Scotia, I wasn’t surprised by this outcome. From my experience, most of the people there were hopelessly incompetent, particularly those in positions of authority. Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s “have not” provinces, and has never been noted to attract the best and brightest. As well, there’s a very high proportion of cantankerous types in the country. When we moved there from British Columbia, and found them to be the least friendly people we had ever encountered, and the RCMP has a well-earned reputation for sloth and incompetence.
It’s all too common. I grew up with a girl who was badly disfigured by a riding lawn mower accident when she was 7. 🥺
great video, thank you. I would have never heard about this otherwise
Roland was minding his own business on his property. The child was unsupervised, was small, didn't understand the danger, and could have run up from behind and been run over. No one knows what happened and it would be unfair to blame or charge Roland. Roland having a drink after is not evidence of having a drink before, silly to have said that. All of these people have to live with what happened, trying to punish them to extinguish our own anger is self-serving.
Oh god that swimsuit photo of her and biscuit broke my heart. What a beautiful little soul.
Important to note that she was responsive and verbalizing with responders as she was being stabilized and airlifted to the IWK childrens hospital in Halifax. News sources said they were planning to reattach her leg! She u fortunately died suddenly the next day.
When my son was 7 years old he mowed our 2 acres of yard on a yard tractor. He got on the tractor when the blade was up, then when he was safely in the seat his dad lowered the blade. The gas pedal had a wood extension on it so his feet rested on it. He was told to never get off the tractor while the blade was down. When he wanted to rest or was finished he drove to the barn and his dad raised the blade so he could get off the tractor. He earned $2 for mowing every Saturday.
You say my son then his dad… do you mean you? Why are you talking about yourself in the 3rd person? Very odd.
@@chris-p6k maybe the mother is commenting? yes very very odd lol
@@chris-p6k If their profile picture is representative of who they are then yes, probably the mother.
@@chriskatherman1488 Sounds like she's his Mother to me.
@@chris-p6k I’m the mother of the 7 year old who was mowing the 2 acres of lawn. His dad, who was my husband at the time, is the one who set him up on the tractor. This was 30 years ago when my son was mowing. He’s now grown up and mows his own yard.
What a sad sad case😪. I agree with your analysis fully. Too late to have remorse after the fact, terrible investigation. Thanks Dr G❤❤
The problem with this is that LE is often expected to figure out the responsibility in very complex situations! And the people who gravitate toward police work are often not the best at figuring out whom to blame! I know that I would have been much less clear on this than Dr. Grande is!
@@bthomson Hi👋💛🌻🍦🌃Yes true investigations take alot of work. Judges, cops, juries are all disposed to biases, lack of critical thinking, loyalties. Yes Dr G always finds his way thru these so well 😊
Yes, this was a very sad case, my friend. That poor little girl. 🥺
@@bthomson Right! Dr.G did a good job. I would have botched the whole thing up. Good thing he's doing this and not most of us! 🥰
@@LDiamondz 😑😪
This is so terribly sad. It's making me cry. Many people in the comments are relating how dangerous all farm equipment is. Such an adorable looking little girl, I know that doesn't matter. Innocent, visiting her Grandma and Grandpa on their farm. I knew it was going to be sad, but this is really bad.
The comments saying, "Why did he drive home and not call 911 right away??" are interesting in that they show that many people nowadays cannot even conceive of the absence of a smartphone.
The failure to administer a breathalyzer or other method to determine his BAC was a critical mistake by the authorities. He claimed to not be drinking prior to the accident, and claimed to only have started on the one drink afterward. If the BAC results were significantly higher than that one drink, he would have been caught in a lie and it also would have corroborated his wife’s story that he was drinking prior to the accident. It may or may not be illegal to operate farm machinery while intoxicated on private property in this jurisdiction, but I would think it would cross into the realm of criminally negligent if it resulted the death of a child.
I agree with Dr Grande that there was negligence but not criminal negligence. Farmers let their kids run around very freely. Farm kids would have been trained to stay away from farm equipment. The grandma probably just forgot that Sia did not know all the farm safety rules. The farmer across the road sounds pretty ornery, and no doubt dealt with kids only rarely. He probably expected Sia to run away once he'd spotted her. So both people could have done more due diligence, and both will suffer remorse to the ends of their lives. Very sad.
Your humour and insight is never bettered 💗
Weird comparison i guess however, i am reliant on a mobility chair and have 🐈 🐈 (a few kittens too) if i can't ascertain where they are while maneuvering through the house i will immediately stop the chair to be sure no cats are near. If one comes near whilst I'm driving, same thing - power off immediately to prevent harm to my pets.
Personally, i can't imagine seeing a child (or adult, or animal) close to running farm equipment without shutting down the equipment until the person was safely out of the way.
That being said, there was an incident early on in my use of the chair when i caught the fur of a cat's tail (thank God that was all) and a close call with another when it slunk under my chair in a blind spot.
Now, ought i to mention how people in stores seem to think a scooter is as soft as a human and will stand directly behind one, or cross within inches in front of one while it's in motion?
I digress. The guy, upon seeing this poor child, ought to have shut down the equipment and made sure he had the all clear before continuing to mow. Imho
Very good analysis. I operate tractors in the hay field.
That Poor Little girl! So very Sad!! For all of them! 💔🙏💔🙏💔🙏🕊️🕊️🕊️🧸🧸🧸
This is very sad :( ... Thank you for all your videos and hard work. Please cover the Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom murders. It’s a terrible tragedy and deserves coverage and awareness.
Hi Dr. Grande, would you possibly have the time to be able to cover the verdict of the Cruz trial that ended up with him not receiving death? I think it would be helpful to all of us. As some agree and some don’t. I realize this is very fresh and challenging to cover but I would love to see it. Thank you!
Very interesting video. Always enjoy your videos Dr. Grande. I will have to ask my cousins who live in Nova Scotia about this story.
Did Roland or anyone try to administer first aid, to stop the bleeding? That's what killed the girl, she bled out. The accident itself seems suspicious to me as well.
This story raises two questions 1)was the granny completely unaware of her cantankerous psycho neighbour and his penchant for stirring up trouble, 2) were the child and dog not VERY frightened of the monstrous noisy intimidating machine, which would normally have had the effect of shooing them off??
Yeah. Total sus for sure. 🤨
Insightful and fair. You'd make a fantastic judge.
Terribly sad. Never leave a child alone. But hindsight is 20/20. Great sum up. I think the tragic result is enough of a punishment to be honest. To have to live with what's happened would not be easy and never leave a person unless they're seriously disordered.
It is typical of rural areas, including local law enforcement, to rally around each other against outsiders. Don't expect much justice in most things if you're not a local.
The mind has no safe place to dwell on this kind of senseless tragedy! Dr. Grande at least gives us as much clarity as possible.
I remember hearing about this when it happened, I live in NS. Never thought I'd hear something that happened so close to home on Dr. Grande's channel
Such a tragedy. I agree with your comments at the end. Cantankerous old man who wasn’t going to be interrupted by a little girl. Could have been completely avoided.
I agree with the authorities and it’s ridiculous to let a little girl run around on a working farm. It’s the little girls family’s responsibility to make sure they’re own child is safe. I grew up on two huge working farms and you’d never allow children to walk around playing without supervision.
While tragic, he should not be incarcerated. Children need to be supervised at all times no matter how independent they seem. I've currently be trusted in a situation where I share a home with a special needs child and his parent loves to say how independent he is but the child is completely unable to take care of himself at 8 years old. He'll walk right out into oncoming traffic, I've been in the situation for less than a month and this child has almost been runover on 5 separate occasions. 2 times in the same day. Kids need supervision at all times.
This is a very confused comment. You might as well use Stephen Hawking to argue that everyone needs a wheelchair.
That is a different situation.
seems like people rarely get it right doesn't it either they over protect their children which I've been guilty of myself or they don't watch them at all I don't get it there has to be something in between helicopter parenting and free-range children 🤷🏻
@@charliechurch5004 I'm not a parent, but I can see, without a doubt that it must be the hardest job a person can face.
Many thanks Dr. Grande, excellent analysis & I believe you’re ‘spot on’ as always💯
So many problems in this story...
#1) operating any machinery under
the ‘influence’ holds one
completely responsible, IMO
RIP sweet Sia 💫🌟🌈🌤
Excellent analysis. Would love to see analysis of Lacy Ellen Fletcher case.
I live local to the farm this occurred on. I hope you cover the police negligence and the fact that the farmer has a drinking driving problem to begin with.
Its funny seeing all the helicopter parents here who obviously never lived in a rural area.
Before the internet, kids played outside, unsupervised everywhere.
The vehicle operator is ultimately responsible, especially after he saw her in the field.
What the mother saw was exactly the same as she would see had Cia been with her grandfather.
I'm a helicopter parent. But I see your point. Such an unfortunate accident. But I still would be mad as hell at the farmer who ran over my child with his tractor. Emotions get the best of me sometimes. Must overcome.
Yeah it isn't abnormal in country areas for children to play unsupervised. In close knit communities where everyone knows their neighbors people don't worry as much about creeps harming their children.
Can you analyze the case of the watcher? I know you won't diagnose anyone but it'd be fun to see your take on it.
This hurts my heart mind soul, I need to cry, pray, may God have mercy on the family forever. This is so preventable tragic I am sad so sad it's changed me. Sorry for all involved.
He should have stopped his tractor when he saw her running behind him. That's should be obvious to any responsible adult.
He left her little body in the field and went home to drink? I get that he should not have to babysit a child that’s on his property without permission, but it seems like Rolland doesn’t have a caring bone in his body, before or after Sia was killed. What a nightmare for her family.
Good Evening, Dr. Grande. 👌
If I was operating heavy machinery and I saw a child I would immediately stop and make sure that the child was out of harms way.
To even gamble with the possibility of killing a child is unfathomable to me.
I would have walked her home myself to be sure.
You have no idea whatsoever what you would have done if you were a septuagenarian Nova Scotian farmer and didn't know in advance (because you've just watched a video about it) that the girl would end up dead.
A caring, responsible person would not want ANY chance of running over a child. But I suppose that's just my opinion. 🙄
@@eadweard. I know my own morals and values, thank you. I never claimed to be him, I only said what I would do. Go kick rocks.
@@northernnightmare7986 Yes, naturally your morals and values are _good_ - and your hypothetical actions would amount to a checklist of sheerest virtue.
Good gravy. If these 2 get charged, then both of my parent's would have been jailed, when I was accidentally run over by a yard tractor. I received an amputation of part of my foot. It has been a problem all of my life, but no way would I ever think my Dad did it on purpose. I was the same age when it happened...
So anytime u got in trouble u just slipped your socks and shoes off and stuck your foot in your dads field of vision???