Outpouring of Support for Family of Toddler Run Over by Lawn Mower

Residents of a Palm Harbor neighborhood are reaching out to help a family whose lives changed forever after a tragic accident unfolded in the family's driveway Wednesday evening. Two-year-old Ireland Nugent's feet were severed at her ankles and her left hand was injured when she was accidentally run over by a riding lawn mower.

Jeremiah Nugent, 47, had just finished cutting the grass at his home on Hollow Ridge Road in the Westlake Village subdivision around 7:30 p.m. He was about to park his riding lawn mower in the garage when his wife Nicole, 31, came out and began to wave her hands at him.

According to Pinellas County Sheriff's investigators, Nugent thought his wife was alerting him that he was about to drive over something and he responded by putting the lawn mower in reverse. Nugent continued to back up the lawn mower until he realized he had run over his 2 1/2 year-old daughter, Ireland.

He shut off the engine, but the lawn mower continued to roll backwards down the driveway. Jeremiah and Nicole Nugent tried to stop it, but the lawn mower continued to roll downward. After it stopped, Nicole Nugent ran inside and called 911, a sheriff's office media release said.

A neighbor, who is also a friend of the family but did not want to be identified, lives in a cul-de-sac down the street. She was sitting outside on her lanai when it happened.

"All of the sudden we heard a clunk and wailing like you've never heard in your life," said the neighbor, who ran to help the injured little girl.

"She was laying on the grass in shock. She keep saying where are my legs and I kept trying to get the red stuff off her hand," said the neighbor, who cried as she described how she held the injured child.

"I asked her the names of her dogs and held her," said the neighbor, weeping.

"That father, he was in such bad shape. He'll never be the same."

Dru Overwyk lives next door to the Nugent family. She came home shortly after it happened and saw sheriff's deputies in the driveway and two neighbors near the little girl.

"I pulled into the garage and I could hear him just screaming and it was just horrible, it was horrible."

At that point paramedics had not yet arrived and the father was covered in blood and walking up and down, inconsolable.

Overwyk said she wanted to do something to help, but didn't know what to do.

Neighbor Troy Finch lives nearby and was taking out the trash when it happened. He watched the tragedy unfold from his driveway and saw Jeremiah Nugent's reaction. 

Finch says the Nugent family has not lived in the neighborhood for very long.  "They're always out front. The little kids are always out playing," said Finch.

Emily Hanan, who also lives nearby, says after the accident a woman in the neighborhood took Ireland's three sisters to stay overnight with her.

Ireland Nugent's mother Nicole, spoke to the media Thursday afternoon outside Tampa General Hospital where the toddler underwent two surgeries.

"Of all the children in the world, it will not stop my daughter," she said while standing beside her husband Jeremiah and church pastor.

"We can fix her legs and she will walk again and run again and be just as spunky as she was," she added.

The toddler was in intensive care Thursday afternoon and will need additional surgeries. A local charity group called 50legs.org says it will provide Ireland with prosthetics.  

Patch has received many offers from strangers who want to help the family out. The family's church, Trinity Presbyterian, has set up a fund for Ireland's long term treatment and recovery. People can go to the church's website to make an online donation.

Dawn Marie Custer is secretary of the Westlake Village Homeowners Association and says the tragedy is in on the minds of many residents. They're already organizing a meal train to help the family who has seven children.

Custer says Westlake Village residents also eventually plan to have a fundraiser to help the family out financially. "We're just waiting on the family to see what they need," she said.

The family is well-liked by their neighbors.

"They're nice people. They're regular, nice people that love their kids," said Dru Overwyk. 

"She's just a little peanut girl and we all love her," said another neighbor.

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• 2-year-Old Run Over By Lawn Mower

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