CEDAR FALLS, IA : A 4-year-old is in intensive care after he was injured in a riding lawnmower accident on Wednesday, August 30, 2017

A 4-year-old is in intensive care after he was injured in a riding lawnmower accident Wednesday night.

According to a YouCaring page set up to help with medical expenses, the boy's name is Tate Manahl whose parents are Ryan and Fonda Manahl of Cedar Falls.

"Tate was rushed to Covenant Medical Hospital and later life-flighted to The University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital," family friend Amanda Brenden wrote on the page. "Tate is currently heavily sedated and on a ventilator in the PICU to ease his pain and discomfort. Tate is scheduled to have a major surgery on Friday to begin mending his precious little body. The family is in desperate need of your prayers and support."

The page appeared to have already exceeded its $25,000 goal from nearly 300 donors by Friday afternoon.

The incident happened about 6:25 p.m. Wednesday behind a home in the 1700 block of Vera Way, which abuts Hudson Road in Cedar Falls.

Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson said an adult operating the riding mower wasn’t aware the child was outside in the vicinity of the mower. The child ran behind the mower as it was backing up and was struck by the mower, Olson said.

The boy was caught under the mower, and the mower had to be lifted off of him, police said.

Olson said no foul play is suspected in the accident. Cedar Falls firefighters and police and paramedics with Sartori Ambulance responded to the incident.

Source :
Child in ICU after mowing accident