A toddler wandered nearly a foot toward death at a volcano park in Hawaii when his mother caught hold of him in time to save his life, according to the National Park Service.
The close call occurred on Christmas Day at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano on Hawaii Island while the child was visiting the Kilauea Overlook with family. The child broke away from his group and passed a barrier before sprinting toward a 400-foot cliff at the overlook. The child’s mother is reported to have intervened before any disaster could have occurred.
“His mother, screaming, managed to grab him in the nick of time just a foot or so away from a fatal fall,” a news release addressing the incident read. “Disaster was averted, and the shaken family departed.”
In its release, the National Park Service issued a plea to visitors, asking them to keep children close and stay away from closed areas.
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“The hazards that coincide with an eruption are dangerous, and we have safety measures in place, including closed areas, barriers, closure signs, and traffic management,” Park superintendent Rhonda Loh said, according to the release. “Your safety is our utmost concern, but we rely on everyone to recreate responsibility. National parks showcase nature’s splendor, but they are not playgrounds.”
Kilauea Overlook provides a view of Kilauea, the island’s youngest and most active volcano. It is located on Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, which is part of the state of Hawaii’s archipelago of eight volcanic islands. Two days before the toddler’s brush with death, the National Park Service reported a “new eruption” of the volcano with an advisory of air quality awareness.
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