NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A seven-year-old boy remains in the Intensive Care Unit after an accident caused a brain injury last Thursday.
The family of Dedric Holt now wants the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) to put measures in place to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.
Officials with the Metro Nashville Police Department said Holt grabbed onto an automated exit gate as it lifted him up. It caused him to roll into the motor shaft at the top of the gate. A bystander saw him and called police.
The incident happened at one of the garages at MDHA’s Mosley on 6th where he was stuck for approximately 13 minutes, according to his family.
“We need to know exactly what happened and what took place at the time of this accident because nobody should ever have to go through this,” Kia Summers, Dedric’s aunt and caretaker, told NewsChannel 5. “He’s been fighting for his life for six days.”
As of mid-Tuesday afternoon, Dedric was at the Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt listed in critical condition. His family said he suffered severe anoxic damage to his brain caused by the lack of oxygen.
The family said Dedric was playing with his cousins at a playground adjacent to the garage before approaching the gate.
It’s unclear how the gate opened, but Kia was told that the emergency button was pushed. Residents say the gates would normally be closed but on Tuesday, each one was open.
“There’s no way he should be able to press the emergency switch,” his mother Lakesha Summer said. “It shouldn’t be in reach of a seven-year-old child. The park is directly beside the building.”
MDHA Executive Director Jim Harbison released the following statement:
"We are deeply saddened by last week's tragic accident. Our property employees knew the young man and are heartbroken. We are praying for the family and for the young man to make a full recovery."
Meanwhile, the family created a GoFundMe page to help with hospital expenses and taking care of Dedric’s 9-year-old brother.
