The fall happened at Blue Knob Ski Resort in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Photo: Bedford County Development Association
The parents of a five-year-old boy who fell from a ski lift are now facing felony charges. Micah Porter, 34, and Maya Porter, 37, of State College, Pennsylvania, have been charged with one felony count each of endangering the welfare of a child, after their son fell 20 feet from a ski lift at a Pennsylvania resort.
The incident occurred on March 1. As CBS 17 reports, the Porter’s five-year-old child was alone on a ski lift at Blue Knob Ski Resort. Resort manager Gary Deitke told state police that, per the child, the fall happened after he twisted around in the lift chair in an attempt to adjust his ski goggles. Resort staff then found the boy’s parents, after which he was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he was found to be uninjured.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Maya Porter told state troopers that her son was a better skier than her, and that he and a sibling would ski together on harder slopes while she went on easier ones. On the day of the accident, she said she had told the boy to wait for her at the bottom of the slope, but he was not there when she arrived. Shortly after, the boy’s father called her to tell her about the fall.
“The lack of direct supervision of a five-year-old child led to this child falling 20 feet from a ski lift to snow-covered ground,” wrote state troopers in the affidavit. “Furthermore, it took approximately 15 minutes to locate the child’s parents, who were unaware of the incident at the time.”
Micah Porter’s bail was set at $50,000. Maya Porter’s was set at $30,000.
