A two-year-old girl was horrifically killed after she fell from and was later struck by a crowded side-by-side utility vehicle on Saturday.
Ellieana Mishoe, of Aiken, tragically died after she fell from the UTV (utility terrain vehicle), which had three other passengers, including another two-year-old, South Carolina Highway Patrol said.
‘The toddler appeared to have fallen off the vehicle and was ultimately run over by it,’ a state trooper spokesperson told WMBF News.
The harrowing accident happened around 5:15 pm on a dimly-lit Bay View Drive in Aiken, just 12 miles north of Loris.
Ellieana’s father, Woody Mishoe, has since shared an emotional tribute to his late daughter on social media, describing her as ‘my world.’
He wrote: ‘This world is tough and mean. Please hold your babies and family tight. My beautiful PUNKIN left this world yesterday afternoon to go be with Jesus.’
‘Ellieana was one of God’s angels sent from heaven, with the sweetest and most outgoing personality of anyone I have ever known. She loved with her whole heart and lived life to the fullest. The world was her canvas, and she painted it in rainbows every day of her precious life,’ the post continued.
According to South Carolina Law, children must be at least eight years old to be passengers in a registered UTV while it’s operated on a road.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the accident, which remains under review.
Earlier this year, a Minnesota mother lost two of her four sons following a devastating UTV accident.
On January 7, a UTV driven by her older child collided with a pick-up truck, sending her three of her four sons to the hospital.
Lara Dahl said that her boys, William and Harrison, aged 15 and 11 respectively, died after the deadly crash that occurred near Wilmar, Minnesota, two weeks ago.
William was driving the Polaris Ranger with his two younger brothers heading home when their UTV collided with a pick-up truck driven by Matthew Leroy Anderson, 40, who was not hurt.
The 15-year-old boy lost his life two days after the crash.
His younger brother, Harrison, was pronounced dead a week later at the same hospital.
‘[Harrison] fought so hard, but his little body couldn’t handle all the stress and trauma. We are going to miss his witty comments, his energy, his adventurous self,’ the stricken mother wrote on a CaringBridge page, announcing the tragic news.
The family went out with their pick-up truck and UTV to some hunting land to pick up trail cameras and deer stands on a normal Sunday afternoon, Lara said.
‘We drive the ranger around, laughed, all the boys showed me where they got their bucks. It was seriously the best afternoon!’ she wrote.
‘After getting back to the truck, Will, Harry and Drew asked to drive the ranger home- something they’ve done dozens of times.’
Lara, her husband, Mike, and their second eldest son, Gage, went home in the truck and started preparing dinner until they received a call about the crash.
She recalled: ‘I knew something was off because it was taking them so long. Mike got the call, and we rushed to the scene.’
‘Will and Harry were not moving, but they were breathing. Drew was screaming. We didn’t know the extent of their injuries, but Will was flown right from the scene.’
The other two boys, Harrison and Drew, were transported by ambulance and later flown to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis – the same hospital where William was sent.
William suffered the worst injuries among the three boys, and doctors were not able to detect any brain activity after he was rushed to hospital.
Lara wrote on January 8th: ‘Sleepless night of tears, the unknown, and kissing our babies was utmost horrible night of our lives.’
After two brain analyses that found no activity, William was declared dead.
His family decided to donate his organs to help other children in need.