A two-year-old boy, Mateo Pacheco Elliott, remains hospitalized in Seattle after a tragic lawn mower accident at a daycare in Quincy, Washington, earlier this summer. The incident occurred on June 24, when Mateo’s foot was severed while he was at the daycare.
Since then, his family has been sharing updates on his recovery through a GoFundMe page. Mateo’s mother, Stacey Elliott, has been by her son’s side throughout his ordeal. Family friend Angela Axelson, who started the fundraiser, is doing everything she can to support the family during this challenging time.
“Parents being out of work right now and whatnot just makes it hard for them. I want to be able to help them in any way possible,” Axelson said. “I’ve been friends with Mateo’s mom for about 10 years. It’s made it even harder seeing someone I watched grow up have such a horrible injury”, Stacey Elliott explained to NCW Life.
According to Axelson, the daycare owner was driving the riding lawn mower at the time of the accident. “Two-year-old Mateo wanted to speak to the owner. [He] went running up to the lawn mower, slipped and fell. Went under and his leg was amputated,” Axelson explained. Mateo’s foot was amputated, and he sustained severe injuries to his ankle, knee, and thigh, as shared in the fundraiser updates.
The Quincy Police Department investigated the incident but concluded there was not enough evidence to pursue criminal charges. Meanwhile, the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) suspended the daycare’s license and is continuing its investigation.
“Yes, accidents can happen, but when you’re paying people to take care of your children, you should be able to trust the provider to take complete care of them and not severely injure them,” Axelson said. She urged the community to keep praying for Mateo’s recovery and for the family as they try to return to some semblance of normalcy.
The family is considering legal action as they navigate this heartbreaking situation, seeking justice and ensuring that other families do not endure similar tragedies.