Disabled Teen Hit By Train Dies
The Autism News | English
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By Sharon Osorio | WKBW – TV Buffalo, New York
Anthony Fracassi, 15, of Buffalo, died Friday after sustaining injuries when he was struck by a train in the City of Tonawanda Tuesday. Fracassi had been in critical condition a the trauma unit of ECMC with several fractures.
A statement by City of Tonawanda Police reads, “On Friday, the victim’s family mad the difficult decision to remove him from life support.”
Fracassi was participating in a Challenged Athletes Participating In Sports, or CAPS, baseball game near Main and Fuller Streets in the City of Tonawanda. He and another housemate from the same group home were being supervised by two staff members from People Inc.
The teen reportedly wandered up a hill to the nearby train tracks. The engineer and the conductor told police that they had rounded the bend and noticed someone between the tracks. They blew the whistle to alert him to move, but police say the crew felt that blowing the whistle attracted him closer to the train. He was struck by the train.
Fifteen minutes after Fracassi’s supervisors noticed the teen was missing, someone noticed that a train on the nearby tracks was stopped. They found crews responding to the injured teen. Police say the criminal investigation is closed, and no charges are being filed. City of Tonawanda Detective Tim Toth says this incident was a series of unfortunate events.
People, Inc., and CAPS, Inc., were also both conducting internal investigations.
Source: http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/49390747.html
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Jeanette Boudreau O’Donnell at 9:48pm June 29
so very tragic….
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Valarie Shadwick at 9:49pm June 29
oh my
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Holly Haggan Austin at 9:51pm June 29
I’m so sick to my stomach……This hurts to see these stories!
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Jennie Byczynski-Luhman at 9:52pm June 29
Very sad!
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Jamie Wheeler at 9:52pm June 29
Horrible. Austen still wanders occasionally. I feel for the family. (I insisted for Austen that we be given access tot he handicapped parking at her elementary school. She always knows where the car is and is less likely to wander out into traffic (which can be fairly insane, esp at pick up times.)
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Monica Bekkers at 9:53pm June 29
How could they not notice him gone.
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Chelle M Scarlett at 9:54pm June 29
Oh my goodness…that is heartbreaking
Geoffery Beeson at 10:01pm June 29
awful news
Loretta Somerville at 10:17pm June 29
Very tragic news
Alicia M Panayotakis at 10:32pm June 29
One of my worst nightmares!!!
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Terijean Arseneault-Provencal at 10:46pm June 29
This is so sad! =(
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Chastity Roberts at 11:09pm June 29
this happened out my way…so sad and I worry for my litle girl who wanders
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Abbi Hinton at 7:27am June 30
my heart goes out to the family we live near a train track and this always worries me
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Stormie Hill at 9:34am June 30
My heart goes to the family. Why did the supervisors not notice for 15 minutes> God Bless all who involved.