NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A 15-year-old boy was killed in a forklift accident in Nashville Sunday night, according to Metro Nashville police.
Investigators say Jaden Dalton and another juvenile had gotten onto the Davidson Street equipment rental property and started the engines to the machinery.
A witness told police Dalton had been doing donuts on a forklift when it overturned on top of him and he died.
His death is being classified as accidental.
Metro Police said Dalton was a student at Maplewood High School. In response to his death, Metro Nashville Public Schools released the following statement:
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Jaden Dalton, a ninth grade student at Maplewood High who tragically lost his life in an accident yesterday. Our support team has been working with the school to provide grief counseling as they mourn the loss of their classmate.
His older sister Cristol Quintana was among the first adults to arrive on the scene. "Him and Junior went back outside to play and about an hour later they just came and run in the house saying 'he's not breathing, he's dead, he's gone'," she said, "and I ran down there, I tried to lift up the machine, I couldn't even lift it. He was gone."
Jaden's mother Latasha Dalton said he was independent and always helped with his younger siblings. "[He] made sure the diapers were changed, feed them, take them out to play," she said.
Jaden had a knack for gadgets and was known as the family's computer technician.
"I just want him to come back, that's all. That's all. I just want him to come back, I miss him already," said Jaden's aunt, Latonya Dalton.
Jaden's family said keys were left in the ignition of the forklift and the property lacked proper fencing. We reached out to the company listed as the property owner but we were not given a comment.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story had the spelling of the teenager's name as Jayden, based on information sent to us by Metro Nashville police. Metro Nashville Public Schools clarified to us that the correct spelling of the name is Jaden.
