A 7-year-old girl is dead in Benton County after being dragged by a family mule today, police said.
Shianne Nicole Lane died after being dragged by the mule, Daisy Mae. A passerby about 9:30 a.m. reported seeing a mule dragging a child on the property in the southeastern part of the county, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
"All of the sudden I'd see her bouncing like a baby doll. She was dragging her," the great grandfather Bobby Ragains said.
Deputies arrived at the home east of Lowell to find family members performing CPR on the girl. Deputies assisted until an ambulance arrived at the 12000 block of Ervin McGarrah Road.
“I’m upset, this is an accident that could have been avoided,” Shianne’s mother Marrissa Dodson said.
The girl was trying to ride a family-owned mule she had ridden many times in the past.
The girl had tied the lead rope around her waist.
"If I would have known that, I would have never let her get on. That's the first time she's ever done that," Ragains said.
At some point for some unknown reason, the mule was "spooked" and the child was thrown to the ground, the release states.
She was dragged around the one-and-a-half acre property before the mule became entangled and stopped.
Family members rushed to her aid.
"Of course I got her loosened up and we called 911 immediately and by the time we got her to the hospital she was gone," Ragains said.
The family is pulling together to cope with Shianne's death.
"They are all kind of broken up, confused, don't know which way to go right now. It's just a sad deal," Ragains said.
Raggains also added that the mule isn't violent and was very close with his great granddaughter.
"That mule would run up to her just like a puppy dog, that mule loved her," Raggains said.
The great grandfather said all that's left are the memories of a young girl full of life and personality.
"Loved to go fishing, swimming, loved to ride bikes, just a normal, average 7-year-old girl," Ragains said.
The family said they will set up a fund for anyone who would like to help them with the funeral costs.
The family would also like to give the mule away to a good family.