In Stafford, a 15-year-old boy named Brodan Dubickas died after being struck by a falling tree in Holmcroft Park on Saturday at approximately 6:30 PM, according to multiple reports. Emergency services including West Midlands Ambulance Service and Midlands Air Ambulance attended the scene. Brodan Dubickas was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 7:30 PM, Staffordshire Police said.
A woman on Facebook claimed she held the teenage boy in her arms as he passed away. A GoFundMe page with a target of £28,000 has been set up for Brodan's family. Brodan Dubickas was a former pupil of Tillington Manor and a Year 10 student at Sir Graham Balfour School, according to multiple reports.
He played for Stafford Falcons Football Club and was an up-and-coming league referee. A large police cordon remains in place in the Holmcroft area of Stafford. The cause of the tree fall remains unclear.
The tree that fell gave no indication that it was at risk for falling.
In Melrose, an elementary student died after a tree fell on a playground at Winthrop Elementary School on Monday, according to multiple reports. The student was injured on Monday and died on Tuesday. Another student and an adult were taken to the hospital with injuries but were discharged.
The identity of the victim has not been released. The tree fell from the other side of a chain-link fence just before 3 PM, according to multiple reports. The cause of the tree collapse remains unclear.
No foul play is suspected. According to Daily Mail - News, Eda George, president of the organization that owns the property the tree fell from, said all trees were checked last week and the fallen tree gave no indication of risk. A growing memorial has been set up near the playground in Melrose.