Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A 3-year-old Warsaw boy was killed Wednesday when the all-terrain vehicle he was riding on overturned.
Dakota J. Roberts, CR 775W, was pronounced dead at Kosciusko Community Hospital Wednesday morning from chest injuries.
The ATV was driven by his sister, Christina Roberts, 14, on CR 775W near their home. Two other children were on the ATV at the time and one was injured.
Indiana conservation officers reported that the 911 call of the accident came at 10:12 a.m.
Christina told the officers she was babysitting the children and decided to take them for a ride on the ATV. Taylor Butts, 2-1/2 years old, was sitting in front of Christina, and Dakota was sitting behind her. Tanner Roberts, 4, sat on the utility rack behind Dakota.
Christina said they were driving south when she looked down to reposition Butts' feet away from the exhaust system. She said the ATV went off the east side of the road and traveled up a ditch bank.
The ATV apparently drove along a fence then struck a small clump of trees growing in the fence row. Officers reported the vehicle first tipped then flipped over and landed again on its wheels.
Butts ended up in a sitting position in the ditch crying. Tanner was the only child not injured and reportedly tried to help Dakota. Dakota's injuries were not specified in the conservation officers' report.
Christina said she put Dakota back on the ATV and rushed him home to call 911.
Multi-Township EMS and Mentone EMS responded to the scene and rushed the children to Kosciusko Community Hospital. Dakota was pronounced dead at 11:56 a.m. He was only six days away from his fourth birthday.
Butts was admitted to KCH with a fractured left leg. She was listed in stable condition. Christina was admitted to the medical/surgical ward of KCH with a bruised spleen and is also listed as stable.
