A six-year-old girl in Virginia had both her feet cut off in a freak accident after she got caught around a cargo belt she was playing with in the back of a pickup truck.
Aubrey Scaletta was in the backseat and nearly pulled out of the window during the horrific May 17 incident.
She played with a ratchet strap, a strap used to secure items in transit, before wrapping one end around the drive shaft and severing her feet.
Aubrey, the daughter of state agent Daniel Scaletta, was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery for six hours in an attempt to reattach her feet.
She is now recovering in the hospital, finally breathing on her own and is no longer sedated.
Aubrey Scaletta, six, had both her feet cut off in a freak accident after she got caught around a cargo strap she was playing with in the back of a pickup truck
She was in the backseat when the horrific incident happened in Virginia on May 17 and she was nearly pulled out of the window
Aubrey played with a ratchet strap, a strap used to secure items in transit, before wrapping one end around the drive shaft and severing her feet
Her little sister Jackie was sitting next to her in the car at the time and witnessed the horrific accident.
“One end of the strap went out the window and got around the [vehicle’s] drive shaft,” the Virginia State Police Association said in a statement.
“As the belt spun on the drive shaft, Aubrey was almost pulled out of the window and the tension belt broke her feet.”
Police asked for donations to help Aubrey’s father Daniel and the rest of the family after the “terrible accident.”
Aubrey underwent emergency six-hour surgery to reattach her feet and was treated by a large team of surgeons.
The six-year-old will likely undergo 10 more surgeries in what will be a long road to recovery.
“Both feet seem to be getting good blood flow after being reattached, and as of this morning the doctors have removed the respirator,” police said. local television channel WSLS.
She is recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit and her mother Lauren Wensel Scaletta shared an update on her condition on Wednesday to say she was progressing well.
The mother of three hopes to be transferred from the pediatric intensive care unit to the hospital’s pediatric ward.
Aubrey will undergo a skin graft on June 9 with the family in the hopes that she will be back home in a wheelchair with elevated legs by the end of June.
And she will need physical therapy at home or at an outpatient clinic when she is discharged.
Lauren wrote: ‘At the moment it looks like we will be able to leave the hospital in a wheelchair with legs raised at the end of June. As we imagined, Aubrey will need public transit when we get out.
“Since she is so young, it will be done on a patient/home plan rather than in a rehab center.
“The goal of the surgery team is to have her walking by Christmas with braces, walkers and all! While we realize these things are no guarantee, it was nice to hear what could be.’
Aubrey, pictured with her younger brother Grayson, was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery for six hours to reattach her amputated feet.
The Virginia State Police Association asked for donations to help Aubrey’s father Daniel Scaletta and the rest of the family after the “terrible accident”
Aubrey’s mom Lauren Wensel Scaletta shared an update on her condition on Wednesday and said the little girl was progressing well
Lauren described how difficult the situation was for the family and thanked everyone for their support.
She added: “These have been both the longest and shortest days of our lives. We held our breath and moved from hour to hour most of the time we were in the PICU.
“Everyone has gone out of their way to take care of our girl and we couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
“Our family, friends and new friends are the backbone of Daniel Taylor and my courage to keep moving forward.
“Aubrey is a tough cookie and we’re following her lead as best we can. My princess monster is such a warrior.’
Aubrey is said to have her own fan club at the hospital thanks to her bubbly personality.
a GoFundMe was set up on behalf of the family to help them cope with the tragic accident and more than $53,000 has been raised.