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Park Family Farm

Description

Alex Smith was killed while using a skidloader with a hydraulic lift and fork attachment to prepare bales of hay for cow feed. Child labor laws prohibit minors from using such heavy equipment. Park found Smith pinned under the lift and bale of hay with the engine of the skidloader running. Autopsy revealed that Smith died of mechanical asphyxiation after his chest and abdomen were crushed.

Prosecutors

Assistant Attorney General Mark Sweeney; James Shoemaker

Incident Type

Caught in Machine

County

Cortland

State

New York

Date

July 1, 2015

Available case materials include

  • Case/Court Decisions
  • Media Clips & Gov't. Press

Contact for Additional Information

Unavailable

Victims

First Last Age Title Employer Injury Type
Alex Smith 14 Child Laborer Park Family Farm Fatality

Defendants

Name Type Title Plea Information Conviction Sentence
Luke Park Individual Owner Pleaded guilty to Endangering the Welfare of a Child (misdemeanor), Willful Failure to Pay a Contribution to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (misdemeanor), and Prohibited Employment of a Minor (misdemeanor). Sentenced to three concurrent periods of 60 days in jail to be served 9pm Sundays to 4pm Tuesdays, plus three years of probation.
Penal Crimes Charged

Falsifying Business Records (N.Y. Penal Law Sec. 175); Endangering the Welfare of a Child (N.Y. Penal Law Sec. 260.10)

Other Crimes Charged

Labor Code violation for Willful Failure to Pay Unemployment Insurance Contributions (Sec. 633); Labor Code violation for Filing False Unemployment Insurance Contribution Returns (Sec. 642); Labor Code violation for Prohibited Employment of Minors (Secs. 130, 145); Labor Code violation for Illegal Work Hours for Minors (Secs. 142, 143, 145);