Description
Alex Smith was killed while using a skidloader with a hydraulic lift and fork attachment to prepare bales of hay for cow feed. Child labor laws prohibit minors from using such heavy equipment. Park found Smith pinned under the lift and bale of hay with the engine of the skidloader running. Autopsy revealed that Smith died of mechanical asphyxiation after his chest and abdomen were crushed.
Prosecutors:
Assistant Attorney General Mark Sweeney; James Shoemaker
Incident Type: Caught in Machine
County: Cortland
State: NY
Date: July 1, 2015
Additional Materials
Folder for Park Family Farm materials
Available Case Materials Include:
Case/Court Decisions
Media Clips & Gov't. Press
Contact for Additional Information:
Unavailable
Victims
| First |
Last |
Age |
Title |
Employer |
Injury Type |
| Alex |
Smith |
14 |
Child Laborer |
Park Family Farm |
Fatality |
Defendants
| Name |
Type |
Title |
Plea Info. |
Conviction Sentence |
| Luke Park |
Individual |
Owner |
Pleaded guilty to Endangering the Welfare of a Child (misdemeanor), Willful Failure to Pay a Contribution to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (misdemeanor), and Prohibited Employment of a Minor (misdemeanor). |
Sentenced to three concurrent periods of 60 days in jail to be served 9pm Sundays to 4pm Tuesdays, plus three years of probation. |
|
Crimes Charged: |
Penal Crimes: Falsifying Business Records (N.Y. Penal Law Sec. 175); Endangering the Welfare of a Child (N.Y. Penal Law Sec. 260.10)
|
Other Crimes: Labor Code violation for Willful Failure to Pay Unemployment Insurance Contributions (Sec. 633); Labor Code violation for Filing False Unemployment Insurance Contribution Returns (Sec. 642); Labor Code violation for Prohibited Employment of Minors (Secs. 130, 145); Labor Code violation for Illegal Work Hours for Minors (Secs. 142, 143, 145);
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