It’s a situation that no parent ever wants to be in: Witnessing your child get hurt — and there’s absolutely nothing you can do to help.
Jamie Lynn Spears, sister of pop superstar Britney Spears, found herself in that terrifying scenario over the weekend when her 8-year-old daughter, Maddie, was injured while driving an A.T.V. near their home in Fluker, Louisiana.
According to Nola.com, the vehicle flipped upside down and landed in a nearby pond, trapping Maddie underwater for several minutes until an ambulance arrived. Jamie Lynn, 25, and her husband, Jamie Watson, were standing just 100 yards away from the crash when it happened. They tried to pull Maddie from the water, but she was trapped by her seatbelt and the vehicle’s netting.
Jamie Lynn’s famous sister, Britney Spears, took to Facebook asking fans and supporters for “all the wishes and prayers for my niece.”
The pop music family aren’t the only ones affected by tragic events like this. Over 100,000 families a year are impacted by A.T.V. accidents, the Consumer Federation of America said in a press release.
“A.T.V.s are one of the most dangerous products C.P.S.C. [U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission] regulates, causing more deaths and injuries than almost any other product under C.P.S.C.’s jurisdiction,” Rachel Weintraub, legislative director and general counsel for Consumer Federation of America, said in the release.
The federation’s 2014 report found that at least 61 children died in A.T.V. accidents, accounting for nearly 16 percent of A.T.V. casualties overall.
“Children are not developmentally capable of operating these heavy, complex machines,” Sandra G. Hassink, MD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a release. “The American Academy of Pediatrics warns all parents that no child under the age of 16 should drive or ride an A.T.V.”
As of Tuesday evening, Maddie was reported to be awake and talking.
On Sunday evening, a rep for the Spears family told PEOPLE that “the details the media are reporting surrounding the incident regarding Jamie Lynn’s daughter Maddie are incorrect,” but did not elaborate, saying only, “Right now the Spears family asks that everyone respect their privacy during this time and appreciates all the prayers and support for their family.”
