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Maymont trees inspected after child’s death

Posted at 1:27 PM, Jun 14, 2013
and last updated 2013-06-14 20:06:20-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Maymont will reopen Saturday morning after workers inspect trees at the park on Friday.

Four-year-old Shawn Wills, of Midlothian, was killed when a tree uprooted and fell on him during Thursday's fast-moving storm. The child's father was injured when the tree fell. He is expected to be okay.

Four-year-old Shawn Wills

Four-year-old Shawn Wills

Richmond Police investigated the child's death and ruled it an accident.

Neighbors in the family's Sunnybrook neighborhood said Shawn and his older brother were home schooled. The four-year old was going to attend kindergarten in the fall.

Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones and Richmond Police Chief Ray Tarasovic both responded to the park Thursday after hearing about the child's death.

Jones said he prayed with the Wills family – who he described as “very religious.”

“They were strengthened by each others’ faith,” Jones said. “At a time like this your presence is perhaps the most important. We’re asking the entire city to pray for the family and to be supportive of this family.”

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