A six-year-old girl in Virginia had both of her feet severed in a freak accident after they were pinned around a treadmill she was playing with in the back of a pickup truck.
Aubrey Scaletta sat in the back seat and was nearly pulled out of the window during the horrific incident on May 17.
She was toying with a ratchet strap, a belt used to secure items during transport, before one end wrapped around the drive shaft and cut her feet.
Aubrey, the daughter of State Trooper Daniel Scaletta, was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she underwent six-hour emergency surgery to have her feet reattached.
She is now recovering in the hospital, finally breathing on her own and no longer sedated.
Six-year-old Aubrey Scaletta had both of her feet severed in a freak accident after they were trapped around a cargo belt she was playing with in the back of a van
She was sitting in the back seat when the horrific incident happened in Virginia on May 17 and she was nearly pulled out of the window.
Aubrey was playing with a ratchet strap, a belt used to secure items during transport, before one end wrapped around the drive shaft and cut her feet
His little sister Jackie was in the car alongside him at the time and witnessed the horrific accident.
“One end of the strap came out the window and wrapped around the [vehicle’s] driveshaft,’ the Virginia State Police Association said in a statement.
“As the strap wound around the driveshaft, Aubrey was almost pulled out of the window and the clamp strap cut her feet.”
Police have asked for donations to help Aubrey’s father, Daniel, and the rest of the family following the ‘terrible accident’.
Aubrey underwent six-hour emergency surgery to have her feet reattached and was treated by a large team of surgeons.
The six-year-old will likely undergo another 10 surgeries in what will be a long road to recovery.
“Both feet appear to be getting good blood flow after being put back in place, and as of this morning doctors have removed the ventilator,” police said. local television station WSLS.
She is recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit and her mother Lauren Wensel Scaletta shared an update on her condition on Wednesday to say she was progressing well.
The mother-of-three hopes she will be moved from the pediatric intensive care unit to the pediatric floor of the hospital.
Aubrey will undergo a skin graft on June 9 and the family hope she will be home at the end of June in a wheelchair with raised legs.
And she will need physical therapy at home or in an outpatient facility when she is discharged.
Lauren wrote: “Right now it looks like we might be leaving the hospital at the end of June in a wheelchair with raised legs.” As we imagined, Aubrey will need PT when we go out.
“Since she is so young, it will be done on a patient/home level instead of a rehabilitation centre.
“The surgery team’s goal is to have her walking with braces, walkers and other things by Christmas!” While we realize these things aren’t guaranteed, it was nice to hear what might be.
Aubrey, pictured with her younger brother Grayson, was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she underwent six-hour emergency surgery to have her amputated feet reattached
The Virginia State Police Association has asked for donations to help Aubrey’s father, Daniel Scaletta, and the rest of the family following the ‘terrible accident’
Aubrey’s mother, Lauren Wensel Scaletta, gave an update on her condition on Wednesday to say the little girl is progressing well
Lauren described how difficult the situation has been for the family and thanked everyone for their support.
She added: “It has been both the longest and shortest days of our lives. We held our breath and moved from hour to hour most of our time at PICU.
“Everyone did their best to take care of our daughter and we couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
“Our family, friends and new friends have been the backbone of Daniel Taylor and my courage to keep moving forward.
“Aubrey is a tough cookie and we are following her lead as best we can. My monster princess is such a warrior.
Aubrey would have her own fan club at the hospital thanks to her bubbly personality.
A GoFundMe was created in the name of the family to help them cope with the tragic accident and over $53,000 was raised.
