Two-year-old Mateo Pacheco Elliott remains hospitalized in Seattle after a tragic lawnmower accident at a daycare center in Quincy, Washington, earlier this summer. The incident occurred on June 24, when Mateo suffered a foot amputation while at the daycare center.
Since then, his family has been sharing updates on his recovery through a GoFundMe PageMateo’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 difficult time.
“The fact that the parents are out of work right now and everything makes it harder for them. I want to be able to help them in any way I can,” Axelson said. “I’ve been friends with Mateo’s mom for about 10 years. It’s been even harder to see someone I watched grow up suffer such a horrible injury,” Stacey Elliott said. explained to Life in NCW.
According to Axelson, the owner of the daycare was driving the lawnmower at the time of the accident. “Two-year-old Mateo wanted to talk to the owner. He ran up to the lawnmower, slipped and fell. He went down and had his leg amputated,” Axelson explained. Mateo had his foot amputated and suffered 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 insufficient evidence to file 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 pay people to care for your children, you should be able to trust that the provider will take full care of them and not seriously hurt them,” Axelson said. She urged the community to continue to pray 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 suffer similar tragedies.