A Halloween jest turned fatal for a 12-year-old boy at Haunted Hilltop, a popular Halloween attraction in Harrison, Tennessee. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) confirmed the incident took place late Friday evening, October 11, 2024.
According to the HCSO, deputies arrived at the location around 10:45 p.m., responding to reports of a child being hit by a tractor. The deputies discovered a group of young individuals, supervised by an adult, had been stationed near the hayride course, intending to startle the participants. The boy, in his attempt to board the moving trailer, lost his footing and fell under the wheels.
The victim, identified as 12-year-old Samuel Jessen, was unresponsive when found and declared dead at the site. “The HCSO family extends our thoughts and sympathy to the family of the deceased juvenile, as well as the others who witnessed the tragic event,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We ask the community also to keep this family in their prayers during this difficult time.”
The Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office verified the child’s age, offering no additional details due to the juvenile status of the deceased.
Haunted Hilltop was temporarily closed after the accident. The operators released a statement on their Facebook page, expressing their sorrow: “Our hearts and prayers go out to the family affected by this. Please keep us all in your prayers!”
This fatal event was followed by a similar incident the next night at a haunted hayride in St. Augusta, Minnesota. Thirteen-year-old Alexander Mick succumbed to his injuries after falling under a trailer pulled by a tractor during the event.
Investigations into both incidents are underway by local authorities who have offered condolences to the affected families. In respect for the victims’ families, the haunted hayride events in both states have been canceled. Authorities are urging the community to exercise caution during such events to avoid such unfortunate incidents in the future.
