VENICE, Utah — A teenager died over the weekend in what appeared to be a tragic accident while working at his family's corn maze.
Sevier County Sheriff Nathan J. Curtis said the 13-year-old boy was helping clean up at the end of the day on Saturday at Knights Corn Maze in Venice, near Richfield. The boy's family went looking for him, they found him at a tether ball pole with the rope around his neck. He was not breathing and had no pulse. People at the scene administered CPR, then paramedics and deputies arrived and were able to restore his pulse.
The teen was rushed to a local hospital, then transferred to a different location on the Wasatch Front for additional emergency critical care. However, he eventually passed away in the hospital.
The exact cause of the boy's death will be investigated by the state medical examiner's office. However, the sheriff said at this point, it seems like it was an accident because there was no sign of foul play or suspicious activity.
The boy's name was not released, but he was identified in a GoFundMe as Maximus Knight.
"Maximus was a beautiful, sweet and loving child who brought so much joy to his family and to his community," his aunt wrote in the GoFundMe page. "The youngest of his family, Maximus made every effort to impress his big brothers and care for those around him. Our hearts are broken as we struggle to make sense of this tragedy. We will forever mourn his passing."
