Toddler accidentally run over by riding lawn mower

TOWN OF ERIN -- A 22-month old girl suffered a partial amputation of one foot and had several toes amputated on the other after an accident involving a riding lawn mower in the Town of Erin.

69-year-old Karen Meyer called 911 just after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 26th, to report she had accidentally run over her great granddaughter's foot with the mower.

An investigation found the woman was mowing the lawn at her home while watching her great granddaughter. She began backing the riding mower up and did not notice the child had run up to her. The child's feet got caught under the mower.

The woman called 911 from her car on the way to the hospital. An ambulance ended up meeting her in Slinger and took the child to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Officials say they do not think the injury is life-threatening.

FOX6 News talked with a long-time neighbor of Meyer. Gary Soike said, "Just a salt-of-the-earth lady, hard-working, God is she a hard-working lady at her age. She'll do anything for you."

The Washington County Sheriff's Department is finishing up its reports on the case. But there are no plans to file charges.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 9,000 children are hurt every year in lawn mower accidents.