Urgent warning over popular Halloween activity that has killed two young boys

Parents person been urged to beryllium other cautious aft 2 young boys were tally implicit by workplace vehicles during haunted hayrides successful 2 antithetic states. 

Samuel 'Sam' Jessen, 12, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, was tally implicit by a tractor on the Haunted Hilltop Halloween hayride way successful Chattanooga past play astir 11 p.m. aft hiding successful the bushes with his friends, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said. 

While attempting to scare different hay riders, Jessen tried to leap onto the trailer and slipped and fell underneath the wheels. He was recovered unresponsive, according to police. 

The aforesaid weekend, Alexander 'Xander' Mick, 12, of Rice, Minnesota, was besides killed astatine the Harvest of Horror Haunted Hayride successful St. Augusta aft helium was tally implicit by a wagon, the Stearns County Sheriff's Office said. 

Life-saving efforts were utilized connected Mick but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dormant astatine the scene. 

The Haunted Hilltop called Jessen's decease 'horrible' and 'tragic' and unopen down for a week. 

'Please, delight support the Jessen household successful your prayers during this ace hard time, arsenic good as, our staff,' the institution wrote connected Facebook. 

The Harvest of Horror besides released a connection regarding Mick's death, saying the nonaccomplishment filled them with 'deep sadness'.

'Out of respect to the household involved, the organizers person made the determination to cancel the remaining nights of the 2024 Harvest of Horror,' it said successful a statement. 

The institution besides said it had primitively kept operations going aft the decease according to the Sheriff's Office's instructions truthful they could 'keep attendees distant from the mishap scene.' 

'Sometime later, we were instructed by a Sheriff's lawman to statesman turning distant guests and closing down the lawsuit for the night. We complied with each of their instructions passim the evening,' it wrote. 

GoFundMe fundraisers person been started for the Jessen and Mick families to assistance wage for the boys' funerals. 

As of Saturday morning, Jessen's had raised much than $37,000 toward its $30,000 extremity and Mick's had garnered much than $39,000 toward its $30,000 goal. 

In his GoFundMe, Mick's mother, Teri Mick, remembers her 'amazingly unsocial child' arsenic idiosyncratic 'loved Jesus with each his heart' and who was truthful 'full of life.' 

He participated successful taekwondo, played the drums, was successful a band, sang successful the choir, and was an Eagle Scout, among others hobbies, according to his obituary. 

'Xander was ever truthful helpful, scientific, precise techy, loved computers, was afloat of energy, had a large consciousness of wit and an infectious smile,' the obituary read. 

'Xander was kind, precise polite, unique, creative, investigative, and saw the bully successful everyone. He ever tried to beryllium archetypal to say: "Love you more."' 

Mick leaves down 2 brothers, his parents and his grandparents. 

Jessen played shot and hoops and had a 'passion' for football, according to his obituary. The seventh-grader was a backmost for his radical and loved the University of Tennessee team. 

Jessen hoped to 1 time beryllium drafted into the Kansas City Chiefs, his obituary revealed. 

The pupil besides loved to play with the vicinity kids, and was an 'avid scholar and [an] unthinkable writer.' 

'Sam surely had a zeal for life. It was infectious. His grin (along with his precocious installed braces) lit up each country helium was in,' the obituary read. 'Sam was feisty and fearless, but besides compassionate and kind.

'Sam volition beryllium missed dearly by each who had the privilege of knowing him, but particularly his family.' 

Jessen leaves down a brother, sister, and his parents.