Bootheel 7-year-old dead after 'horrible accident' involving swing set

FISK, Mo. -- A Fisk kindergartner was killed in a what authorities describe as a "horrible accident" Sunday when an unfinished, wooden swing set collapsed on him.

The child is identified as Cobbie Bond, 7-year-old son of Carl and Lana Bond and a kindergartner at Fisk Elementary School.

The accident happened just after 6 p.m. at the Bond residence in the 6700 block of Route B, according to Butler County Coroner Jim Akers.

"Him and his two older brothers were playing on a homemade swing set; it was not completed,"

Akers explained. " ... (The boys) went outside; they were told to stay off of it, (but) the boys were being excited.

"It collapsed in and fell on top of him. ... This was a horrible accident."

Akers described the swing as being an A-frame design with a solid beam across the top. "The dad made it out of super-strong materials, which made it very heavy, too," he said.

The boy, who suffered head trauma, was taken to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where doctors "called it at 8:18" p.m., Akers said. "I responded and pronounced (him dead) at 9:30" p.m., he said.

As part of his investigation, Akers said, an autopsy will be performed by Dr. Russell Deidiker today at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington.

In light of Cobbie's death, Twin Rivers Superintendent Mike Stevenson said the school district was referring to its crisis manual quite a bit this morning.

"We have brought our counselors from our other campuses to help in this matter," Stevenson said. "We're in the process of meeting with all the classes and giving them all the information and letting them know counselors are available."

Stevenson said a "safe room" has been set up. Any "little ones who feel they need to discuss and talk, there is a counselor there to talk with them," in that room, he said.