A 3-year-old boy was seriously injured after his father accidentally ran over the child with construction equipment while at a work site in Gainesville, Virginia, last month.
Kenneth Albrecht Toone, 39, and Erin Renee Knox, 29, both of Gainesville, were arrested this week and face child abuse charges due to what Prince William County police called the unsafe environment that led to the boy getting hurt.
On March 15, police said an investigation began into a child injury reported in the 5400 block of Fallen Oaks Lane earlier that day.
Police found that Toone and Knox were at a work site in that area with the 3-year-old boy and another child. Toone and Knox were the only adults at the work site at the time.
Knox and Toone were each operating separate Bobcat construction equipment. Police said they knew the 3-year-old was playing near other construction equipment. The boy was then seen lying on the ground after Toone accidentally ran him over with the Bobcat.
Police said Toone took the boy to a nearby hospital, but he was assessed as “having significant internal injuries.” The boy was then flown to a local trauma center; police said he is expected to survive his injuries.
