US

‘So Much Disbelief’: Little Boy Dies After 6-Foot-Tall Tombstone Falls on Him

Tombstone kills boy

This undated photo provided by the family via Park City Medical Center shows Carson Dean Cheney, 4, who died July 5, 2012 after a large tombstone fell and hit the boy while he and his family were visiting a historic cemetery in the Utah ski resort town of Park City. (AP Photo/Park City Medical Center)

(AP) – A 6-foot-tall tombstone that weighed hundreds of pounds fell on and killed a 4-year-old boy who was posing for photos with family and friends at a historic cemetery in a Utah ski resort town, authorities said.

Carson Dean Cheney was holding onto the headstone Thursday when some metal connecting it to the pedestal broke, said Park City police Capt. Phil Kirk. Some of the children being photographed were not being responsive, so Carson tried to help the photographer – his father – by pretending to be a leprechaun and making them laugh, said Curtis Morley, a family friend. Morley said the boy went behind a tombstone and was playfully poking his head out from behind it when it fell on him.

“Carson passed away while trying to make others smile,” Morley said.

Carson was just about to enter kindergarten, loved to ride his bike and was “full of life,” said his grandmother, Geri Gibbs.

“There’s still so much disbelief and sorrow and anguish,” she said.

“We just keep waiting for the door to open up and Carson to come through, a happy little boy.”

She said it took three men to pull the slab off the boy, and rescuers “did everything they could possibly do.”

More from KTVX:

The child suffered injuries to his head, chest and abdomen and was taken to the nearby Park City Medical Center, where he died.

Authorities were still investigating Friday.

Gibbs said the boy and his family were visiting from Lehi, about an hour away. Morley, who works with the boy’s father, Zac Cheney, at a professional services firm in Salt Lake City, said Zac Cheney does photography in his spare time and was shooting portraits at the cemetery because of its extensive landscaping.

Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter said the coarse stone at the Glenwood Cemetery in Park City, about 4 inches thick, marked the grave of someone who died in the 1800s.

Bruce Erickson, president of the Glenwood Cemetery Association, said the private, five-acre cemetery around the corner from Park City Mountain Resort was founded by a society of silver miners in 1885, and many of the tombstones are at least 100 years old. The cemetery is open to the public and still accepts burials of people connected to the mining society.

Erickson said no funerals were held there Thursday.

New burials happen about once a year, he said, and families are responsible for maintaining the headstones. Erickson said the cemetery likely will be closed through the weekend.

A funeral for the boy is set for Tuesday. Morley said a memorial fund has been set up at Zions Bank.

Comments (53)

1 2
  • Karron
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 8:44pm

    BRKNHRT, I have buried one of my children. My son and his best friend were murdered by a family friend. Arron was shot in the forehead with a .45, he was dead before he hit the floor. Why? Because the man who killed him simply wanted to kill them. Don’t you DARE condescend to me concerning disrespect in a graveyard. I love it when people visit the cemetery where Arron’s body lies. Little kids laughing and families gathering to decorate graves, and share community spirit are wonderful things. A cemetery is a place we go to say hello, good-bye, share events of our lives, or simply talk to our loved ones. Taking a family photo in a setting of peace and beauty is a wonderful thing too. I feel so sorry for that dad who was just doing his job and bringing along his boy share the day with him. The pain and guilt must be eating him up. And the family being photographed will never be able to look at those photos without pain and sorrow. They were NOT disrespectful, but you sure as heck are. I am so glad I don’t have to know someone as sour and hateful as you. Now go away and crawl back under your rock.

    Report Post » Karron  
    • another_mormon_4_Ron_Paul
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 10:21pm

      The holiday Día de los Muertos in Mexico is something like Memorial Day, where people remember their loved ones who have passed on, but they have much more fun at it than Americans do, having a picnic at the grave site and decorating the grave with lots of colorful things. It’s a big party at the cemetery. It happens on Nov. 1 and 2, the same time we celebrate Halloween, and personally I actually prefer Día de los Muertos to Halloween. Halloween nowadays celebrates gory, evil stuff, while Día de los Muertos celebrates the memory of our loved ones. And I have no connection to the Mexican culture at all. I just think that tradition is cool.

      Report Post »  
    • lukerw
      Posted on July 8, 2012 at 1:41am

      We are a Predator Species… and this Ironic :)

      lukerw  
  • loneindividual
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 7:56pm

    I use to laugh at everything that had irony…even when people died tragic & strange deaths.

    “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead.”

    I’ll remember this kid.

    Report Post » loneindividual  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 6:01pm

    What an unbelievable story and tragedy.

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • lukerw
      Posted on July 8, 2012 at 4:19am

      AFV: A mother says to her little daughter… look at that Ant moving a M&M… say Hi to Mr Ant… and the little girl says: Hi Mr Ant… then she lifts her foot and squishes Ant and M&M… alike a god!

      lukerw  
  • poetopoet
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 5:48pm

    Never a Goodbye

    No I cannot run, I cannot fly neither
    I am forever linked to you by love
    absent chains your love is in tow
    to take back where love reigns.

    Rush your love, rush love back
    your love returns all that’s good
    it’s all that’s left, all that remains
    remains of love aged to perfection.

    I love you today and tomorrow too
    a dream you and I live, lives forever.
    You never said it, you never let it die
    a thought of love it’s never a goodbye.

    Your all matters, you live inside me boy
    and I live to love another day with you son.
    More than any other day I love you today boy
    your love it is first light, it brightens the sky son.

    Report Post » poetopoet  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 3:49pm

    Wow, very sobering moment. I’ll pray for this little boy and his family. May they find comfort in God and the knowing that he with their baby. Blessed be the lord. God bless them all.

    Report Post »  
  • ChristinaP55
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 3:10pm

    God bless you, little Carson; you’re playing with the angels now.

    Lord, watch over the Cheney family in this darkest of times.

    Report Post »  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 2:32pm

    …
    Rest in peace little Angel.
    God, please comfort this family in their time of need.

    This is the second time in just the past few months, that a tombstone has killed a child. Parents please be careful. A cemetery is not a playground. Don’t let your loved ones climb on tombstones.

    Report Post »  
    • LIBSALWAYSLIE
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 3:03pm

      My deepest heartfelt condolences to the Cheney family. So very tragic. May he rest in peace.

      Report Post » LIBSALWAYSLIE  
    • antrancher
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 5:30pm

      I am the family historian and have visited many old cemeteries. This is not only dangerous for children it is a no no to swing or climb on these old stones. There should be signs. the stones are barely standing in most cases, after 100 years or more and easily damaged. Teach your children to behave in cemeteries. This is sad and avoidable. His life was barely getting started.

      Report Post »  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 2:14pm

    absolutely heartbreaking.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:46pm

    No worries. Some good hearted Congressman will make a law that says tombstones must be anchored in the ground up to 20 feet deep so this cant possibly happen again. No more little boys will die like this now!!

    Yes, a new regulation and new laws are what this nation needs! Sarcasm off….

    I HOPE PEOPLE CAN SEE THE IDIOCY OF OUR GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY PLACE NEW REGULATIONS ON TOMBSTONES AND THE PRICES GO UP SO HIGH THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD ANYTHING BUT A HOLE IN THE BACKYARD!

    Sorry for the familly and theri loss.

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • GrumpyCat
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 2:17pm

      No, no, no! They will outlaw any monument or structure that could fall over! We’ll revert back to the days of pyramids! :-)

      Report Post »  
    • antiprogressive
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 5:30pm

      I hate to say it but that wa EXACTLY where my head went – after feeling bad for the child of course.

      If the family SUES – the new regulations for anchoring headstones will come.
      But I believe it takes THAT to get anyone’s attention.
      Hopefully the groundskeeper will take a walk around and check for potential OTHER problems but I would not want him to be FORCED to by some law.

      Tourists are there on their own accord and a 6ft tall rock is OBVIOUSLY dangerous if it falls.

      An anchor BROKE while they were there and no one bothered to check the monument for stability.

      It‘s a sad story but I don’t hold the management responsible.

      Report Post »  
  • jemkallen
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:24pm

    As a mother who lost her young son a year ago this month my heart and prayers go out to the family as they struggle to find the light during this dark time. God bless their souls and bring them comfort.

    Report Post »  
    • hatchetjob
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 4:48pm

      I pray God brings you comfort too JEM. All of His little ones are with Him.

      Report Post » hatchetjob  
    • Karron
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 11:47pm

      Blessings on you and your loved ones. Loss of a child is the most difficult thing to learn to live through.

      Report Post » Karron  
  • rickc34
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:20pm

    My heart goes out to the family, there is nothing that can be said to ease this kind of pain. Carson is up in Heaven now playing with Jesus Christ, he is safe now, in this I can be confident . I pray that God can ease your pain in this knowledge, I could not Imagine how you feel, my eldest granddaughter is 4 and I could not imagine not having her here.

    Report Post »  
  • garylee123
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:15pm

    And here comes the Ban Headstones lobby.

    Report Post »  
  • battles
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:12pm

    I will not be surprised when the absolutely sick, vain, and morbid democrats start coming out with jokes about having gotten rid of a Cheney.

    Report Post » battles  
  • Karron
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:08pm

    How very tragic for everyone. Blessings on the family, and God has one more little angel to watch over the rest of us.

    Report Post » Karron  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:19pm

      Again, blessings on the family, but children and adults who die are so much more precious that angels in the Lord’s eyes–we are His children and will get to judge the angels some day!

      Lord, be with the family and friends to understand that God’s time is not always our time, but that His time is perfect. . .

      Amen

      Report Post »  
  • 3monkeysmomma
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:59pm

    One of my monkeys is just that age. I can’t begin to imagine….!
    how horrible.

    Report Post » 3monkeysmomma  
  • brknhrt
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:48pm

    This is the second incidence of this happening in just a few months. When will parents realize that graveyards are not playgrounds. At least teach your children a little respect for the dead. Headstones are purchased by family members and are private property. That means you don’t touch them! This also goes for “gravers” who smear them with chalk, shaving cream and a variety of other things that damage them. You are vandals.

    Report Post » brknhrt  
    • Karron
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:07pm

      Nice. BRKNHRT. Nice. So much for having an ounce of sympathy for the family or the boy. He wasn’t being a bit disrespectful, he was being a FOUR YEAR OLD. And he had nothing to do with the idiots who put shaving cream on head stones, why even mention it here? I guess if you had your way, no one would even visit a graveyard, much less teach their kids about family history in one. Glad I don’t have to know someone as sour as you are.

      Report Post » Karron  
    • Kenszen
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 3:10pm

      I don’t think he was being disrespectful.

      Report Post »  
    • brknhrt
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 3:13pm

      Karron, Bury on of your own children and then come talk to me about compassion and protecting the burial places of our loved ones.

      Report Post » brknhrt  
    • brknhrt
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 3:58pm

      Sorry my message to Karron should have said” Bury one of your own children and then come talk to me.” The child was not being disrespectful, the parents were. People think that grave memorials are public property and they are not.

      Report Post » brknhrt  
  • Liberal Media Dropped Ball On Nine-Eleven
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:35pm

    We’ve gone from tombstone to doomstone.

    Report Post » Liberal Media Dropped Ball On Nine-Eleven  
  • blackyb
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:26pm

    That is so very sad.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • COFemale
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:24pm

    How horrible to have that happen. You would think something that large would be bolted down better. From the article it seems the metal clips failed or were rusted. If it was from the 1800′s, my guess was the cllips were rusted.

    RIP Carson Cheney.

    Report Post » COFemale  
  • rt elms
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:24pm

    This is the second such incident I’ve read about lately. A similar tragedy occurred here in Georgia north of Atlanta several weeks ago. Blessings to the families!

    Report Post » rt elms  
  • Bronco II
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:19pm

    Very sad my thoughts and prayers with the family.GOD is holding his child in his arms welcoming him to his true home.Rest in peice little one.

    Report Post » Bronco II  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:18pm

    What a tragedy!

    RIP Carson Cheney.

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • hi
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:17pm

    He is in heaven with Jesus right now.
    I pray for the Lord to ease the pain of his mom and dad.

    Report Post » hi  
  • MittensKittens
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:12pm

    tragic

    Report Post » MittensKittens  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:08pm

    Rest in peace son, for your journey on this world is done and now will be with the Lord forever in a day that shall never end, and be filled with joys and smiles and laughter such as none on earth have heard or can yet comprehend.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
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