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What was meant to be an opportunity to bond and make lasting memories together quickly turned into the worst day of Toni and Scott Shelton's lives when their 2-year-old son, Kayson, was killed after a statue fell on him during a trip to San Francisco. The family, which included mom, dad, Kayson, and his 6-year-old sister, traveled from their home in Utah to San Francisco for a summer vacation and decided to take a walk along the popular Fisherman's Wharf. Kayson spotted a large metal statue of a dolphin outside the Majestic Collection Art Gallery and began to climb it and wrap his arms and legs around it, police say. But the sculpture toppled over and fell on top of him.
Everyone underestimated Kayson's injuries at first, and for good reason: the toddler seemed to be suffering from little more than a bloody nose. But a few minutes later, his father says he passed out. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital. Imagine this family's utter shock when, four hours later, their little boy died of internal injuries.
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There's some question about what the child was actually doing by the dolphin statue. While most reports indicate that he climbed it, his father claims Kayson wanted to touch it, but when he put his foot on the base of the sculpture, it fell on top of him.
The gallery has reportedly been warned before not to place the statue outside on the sidewalk because it can obstruct pedestrian traffic. It received a citation from police after this horrible incident, but we aren't sure what penalty that carries.
An online fundraising website has been set up to help raise money for the Shelton family's funeral expenses. As of Tuesday morning, more than $17,000 has been raised -- nearly meeting their $20,000 goal. The family also created a touching online tribute to the toddler with photos and a page where guests can leave messages for the Sheltons.
Do you think the business should be held accountable for this tragedy or was this just an unfortunate accident?
Image via youcaring.com
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