UT - Aria Hill, 6. Freak Accident. Killed by a Golfball her Father Hit. Orem. 15 July 2019

[PastTense]

"In Orem City, a city just south of Salt Lake City, Utah, Aria Hill tagged along to the golf course with her father, Kellen Hill. According to the police, at around 10:30 a.m., while sitting in a golf cart at the Links at Sleepy Ridge Drive, her father hit a ball that suddenly struck the 6-year-old girl in the back of her neck.

Orem Police Lieutenant Trent Colledge reports that a call to 911 was made around 10:25 a.m., and Aria was quickly taken to the local hospital in critical condition. From there she was flown by helicopter to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, where she died from injuries sustained later that evening.

Police said that the golf cart Aria was sitting in was neither directly in front of her father, or directly behind. Colledge said the cart was between 45 and 90 degrees to the Kellen’s left. While police are investigating the incident, Colledge said that Aria’s death appears to be a “tragic accident,” and that they have no plans to press charges."
Aria Hill: Tribute to 6-Year-Old Girl Killed By Golf Ball | Heavy.com

 

[10ofRods]

This is so sad. I don't think I realized how dangerous golf balls are. In another article, police are saying it was a miss-hit or something like that (where the ball goes sideways, synonym is "slice").

I thought there was some kind of unspoken rule that the cart needed to be behind the tee. Maybe it's a spoken rule. But father may have wanted to keep an eye on daughter.

Tragic. Good to get the word out, though, about this particular danger.

 

[hylianquinn]

My heart breaks for this dad, how tragic.

 

[luvhockey]

This happened to my niece years ago, when she was 9. A neighbor was hitting golf balls out into a field. She was playing with her brother in the field. Probably 50 or more yards away. The ball hit her just under the ear. She walked into the house and said 'mommy everything is upside down' and then collapsed. She was helicoptered to children's hospital with emergency brain surgery. Drs said if she was 20 min later she would've been dead. Today luckily a wonderful 25yo. Freak accident.