Miggiani, Seth (1998-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Oct 11 p. 7

Birth date: 1998

text of obituary:

Community mourns child's accidental death

By Mennonite Weekly Review staff

PARTRIDGE, Kan. — The Amish Mennonite community mourned the death of a child in a tractor accident at a Sunday school picnic last month.

Seth Miggiani, 12, was killed Sept. 5 when he fell out of the tractor's front-end bucket in front of the vehicle's wheels.

Four children fell from the bucket when the joystick that controls the bucket was accidentally moved, according to a news release from Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder.

Two of Seth's siblings, Magdalena, 8, and Hadassah, 11, and a third child, Derek Schmucker, 11, were injured. Hadassah suffered the most serious injury, a broken pelvis, The Hutchinson News reported.

Seth's death was ruled an accident, and no charges were filed against the tractor driver.

"However, the death of this child demonstrates why it is a bad practice or custom to allow anyone to ride in the front bucket of a moving tractor," Schroeder said.

Lee Nisly, lead pastor of Cedar Crest Amish Mennonite Church, said it had been a tradition for several years for children to ride in the bucket of the tractor during a hayrack ride at the Sunday school picnic.

Seth was one of eight children of Wolfgang and Lori Miggiani, who said the family had forgiven the driver.

"He is so sorry for what happened and repentant," Lori Miggiani told The Hutchinson News. "If we don't forgive others, the Lord won't forgive us."

She said the family had been overwhelmed with kindness and support.

Pastor Nisly said, "While offering mourners hope that Seth is with God in heaven, we can have that hope also."