A heartbroken mother is speaking out after her 5-year-old daughter was killed in a tragic accident while riding on farming equipment in Ohio. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can help prevent similar tragedies from happening to other families.
On Friday, Oct. 10, little Charlotte Deselem was riding on a combine with her father as he harvested beans in Pleasant Township when the accident occurred, according to WDTN and WHIO.
At one point that evening, Charlotte got out of the cab and was struck by part of the machinery. She was rushed to a nearby fire station and later transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries, the outlets reported.
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Charlotte’s mother, Sara Ray, told WHIO she received a text that night asking her to come to the fire department.
“I get there, and my baby’s just smashed, lifeless on the ground while they try to bring her back,” Ray recalled. She believes the accident could have been avoided.
“Any time you have a child near a piece of machinery that is that large and that heavy, there is danger for your children, and you need to be fully aware of their surroundings,” she said. “And if they’re not in arm’s reach, they are in danger.”
Ray told WDTN that Charlotte had autism and wasn’t ready to be near such heavy equipment.
“Most farms are handed down generation to generation, and kids grow up around this machinery,” she said. “That might be fine for a typical child, but not for a child with special needs.”
“She was the brightest light this world has ever seen,” Ray added. “And she was taken away far too early because of a tragedy that should have been prevented from the start.”
Children with autism are at a higher risk of elopement — a term the Cleveland Clinic defines as leaving a safe environment, often prompted by fear, sensory triggers, or curiosity.
A GoFundMe organized by a family member aims to help cover grief counseling, “legal and attorney fees,” and other expenses as Ray mourns her daughter. The fundraiser describes Charlotte as a “vibrant, joyful little girl whose laughter and light filled every room.”
The 5-year-old loved dancing, music, and wearing poofy dresses, her mom shared with WDTN.
“She was the happiest little girl you’d ever meet,” Ray said. “She never wanted to stop moving. She was always running, singing, and dancing — acting out her movies.”
Ray and her older daughter spent the following Monday planning Charlotte’s funeral.
“I just had to buy her last princess dress and tiara to take to a funeral home,” she said.
