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A Douglas County Crime Scene Investigaor at a house at 7901 N. 16th St. where a small child was injured by a lawn tractor.


JAMES R. BURNETT/THE WORLD-HERALD


Boy in mower accident loses foot

By Kevin Cole
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The left foot of a 3-year-old Fremont boy injured by a riding lawn mower was amputated Wednesday at the Creighton University Medical Center.

The surgery on Carter Geddings took about two hours, according to his father, Brent Geddings. He said his son is "resting comfortably in stable condition."

Doctors told the family that it will be at least Friday before they know whether more surgeries will be needed.

Brent Geddings said his son is doing "as good as can be expected" and the family is looking forward to finally getting to talk to Carter, who has been heavily sedated.

"We'll probably get a chance to talk with him (Thursday)," Brent Geddings said. "He's been under a heavy cloud of anesthetics so far."

The family is considering holding a fund-raiser to help with medical bills.

"Prosthetics are awfully expensive, but we're concentrating on getting Carter well first," Brent Geddings said.

Carter was injured Monday afternoon on an acreage in the Elkhorn area.

Sgt. Tucker Wheeler of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said several children and an adult were at the residence, belonging to the Gus Checketts family. Carter's family and the Checketts family are friends, and he often spends time at the home, authorities said.

Wheeler said the 3-year-old apparently went outside while a 17-year-old boy from the Checketts family was behind the house mowing. Authorities declined to identify the teenager, who was described as being "very distraught." No charges were filed.

Capt. Steve Glandt said a neighbor saw Carter "dart in front and slip and fall" as the riding mower approached. The 17-year-old driving the machine appeared to frantically try to stop the mower but couldn't.

Carter was taken to the hospital by helicopter.

Investigators examined the machine Tuesday and found it functioning as it should.


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