COFFEE COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Father's Day weekend outing took a horrible turn, when a freak accident claimed the life of a 7-year-old boy in Coffee County.
A father took his son for a ride Saturday afternoon not knowing it would be the last time he would spend time with his son.
"It's was just a horrible accident. I just don't know how a parent could bear the pain involved," says Coffee County Sheriff's detective Stephen Sharketti.
The man and his son, 7-year-old Desal Reek, were visiting family when they decided to go for an afternoon ride around the home in rural Hillsboro.
"There are fathers across the country that do this. The father had no idea that there was this one piece of barbed wire on this property was there," said Sharketti.
He said the man drove up an old driveway and turned between two trees. In that instant, the motorcycle crossed the path of a single strand of barbed wire.
"It was four feet off the ground and invisible to the eye at eye level. I was two feet away and had difficulty seeing it," said Sharketti.
The wire cut into the little boy's neck, causing massive trauma, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
"I don't believe the child suffered. It was very quick," said Sharketti.
Some have wondered if the wire was perhaps planted to harm someone. Sharketti investigated and says there's no sign of foul play. And, in the end, no one to blame.
"During this investigation I have found nothing in the way of that - the father being reckless or irresponsible," Sharketti explained.
Skarketti said they have completed their investigation and there are no charges.
He calls what happened a horribly tragic accident. And he offered this advice for others: be aware of your surroundings, especially off-road or in unfamiliar areas. You never know what you might encounter, be it a hole or tree limb or in this case barbed wire.
