5-Year-Old Dies After Getting Strangled By Swing In Her Backyard, Family To Donate Organs

A five-year-old girl named Aurora Masters tragically passed away in Fort Collins, Colorado, while playing in her backyard last week. According to authorities, Aurora sustained fatal injuries after getting entangled in the swing set, as reported by USA Today. According to the media outlet, the Fort Collins Police Department said that officers arrived on the scene and provided medical attention to the child until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived on the scene. Despite their efforts and treatment at a local hospital, the child succumbed to her injuries on May 11.

During a conversation with USA Today, the Fort Collins Police Department said that they are not investigating the matter further because, after a thorough review, there was no probable cause of any criminal behaviour and they have ruled the child’s death a tragic accident. In the wake of this heartbreaking loss, Brenda Kennedy, Aurora’s grandaunt who created a GoFundMe account after the girl was admitted to the hospital, told KDVR, “She pulled her little plastic slide over to where her swing was and somehow got caught up in the swing, and unfortunately, the swing strangled her.”

The media outlet further mentioned that GoFundMe states that the family will use the funds raised to go towards funeral and memorial service costs. However, the remaining funds will be donated to charities that honour Aurora’s bright spirit and reflect her short but beautiful life. As of now, the GoFundMe account dedicated to the little one has raised $25,000 of its $30,000 goal.

Kennedy wrote, “We have also started to discuss and organise our thoughts for a memorial service and celebration of life. The celebration will be for Aurora and her friends to dance, sing, and live their best lives! Once that is done, extra funds will be donated to organizations that help Aurora’s memory continue.”

According to KDVR, nineteen family members from Nebraska and Wyoming travelled to Colorado after knowing about Masters’ death.

Brenda Kennedy keeps on giving updates on her grandniece’s condition on the GoFundMe account, along with asking the public for prayers. In her most recent note, the aunt called her 5-year-old a “ray of sunshine” and wrote, “Our family continues to feel your love and support as we move into the next phase. Our sweet Aurora Rae (Ray of sunshine as many of you have told us) is continuing evaluations to maximise her ability to donate her organs and tissues.”

“Thank you for all your love expressions for our family. You are sustaining our hearts!” Kennedy added.