Child alone at Mohawk Ski Area injures head

CORNWALL - The call that came in to the Troop B State Police headquarters just before 1 p.m. on Sunday posed a serious dilemma. One of two children left by their parents at Mohawk Ski Area had sustained a head injury. The 10-year-old had fallen while skiing.

He was conscious but unable to come up with a phone number for his parents. His 7-year-old brother could not supply a cell phone or local number.

The injured child was taken by Cornwall Ambulance to Sharon Hospital. He was taken from there by LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital.

Mohawk Mountain General Manager Carol Lugar told The Journal on Monday she had information the child's injury was not as severe as initially suspected, and that the boy was at home with his parents.

The family are reportedly New York City residents who weekend in Cornwall.

The siblings were members of the race team, a long-standing program at Mohawk for children under the age of 14 or 15. It is aimed at training young skiers of all levels and is associated with the U.S. Ski Association.

Lugar said it is made clear to parents they can't just leave their children alone at the mountain, even when involved with a program like the race team. It is unclear if the children were skiing as part of the team or on their own during a lunch break when the accident occurred.

"I don't know why they left," Lugar said of the parents. "Our concern at that time was for the child and his welfare and I haven't yet spoken with the parents. I believe the mother was contacted pretty quickly and met the child at Sharon Hospital."

Lugar said the 7-year-old was cared for by staff members while the parents dealt with the crisis.