Investigation into sledding hill fatality continues

GoFundMe page established for female victim

Police are continuing their investigations into an accident that occurred Saturday morning at Clyde L. Burmaster Park in the Town of Lewiston, which claimed the life of a 16-year-old female and injured a 3-year-old male.

According to the Niagara County Office and Lewiston Police, the accident on the sledding hill at the Lower Mountain Road park occurred at 10:14 a.m. The children were riding on a tube that struck a tree at the bottom of a 125-foot-long sledding hill.

Members of the Pekin Volunteer Fire Co. and Tri Community Ambulance responded to the scene to render aid. The two youth were then transported by ambulance to John R. Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo for treatment.

Subsequent to her arrival at the hospital, the female was pronounced deceased due to her injuries. She was identified as Renee Hill, 16, of the Tuscarora Reservation. The unidentified male was treated and released.

Lewiston Police Chief Frank Previte said it appeared the two were travelling sideways down the hill, which was described by onlookers as icy at the time of the accident. The female teen attempted the shield the male child and apparently struck her back on a tree trunk at the base of the hill.

The sledding hill at Clyde L. Burmaster Park remains closed at this time.

Theresa Hill created a GoFundMe page over the weekend to assist the female victim’s family with funeral expenses. As of Thursday, the campaign had raised almost $29,000.

Those interested in assisting the girl’s family may visit the Renee Hill Funeral Expenses GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/renee-hill-funeral-expenses.