A 6-year-old girl is in an Edmonton hospital following an accident at Wainwright’s 66th annual Stampede Parade on June 22. Details about the accident, her condition and the extent of her injuries aren’t clear, but she was airlifted from the town by STARS and it’s confirmed to be a head injury.
The girl was part of a 4-H group and was on top of the club’s float. The town hasn’t seen an accident like this in all 66 years of the parade. Brian Bethune, mayor of Wainwright and Stampede Committee member, says that an investigation will be conducted to ensure an accident like this never happens again.
“We’re going to talk to the family and talk to the people who were in the area where it happened and saw the incident, and see if we can pinpoint what we can do better in parades going forward to make sure it never happens again,” said Bethune.
Bethune adds that the girl’s injuries are thankfully less serious than expected and the family is currently focused on her recovery. He says the town, the stampede and everyone from the area is fully behind them as she heals.