9-Year-Old Girl Dies After Tree Falls on Her During Thunderstorm in Green Bay

GREEN BAY, WI — A 9-year-old girl has died after a tree reportedly fell on her during a thunderstorm in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Monday afternoon, June 23.

The tragic incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time when a neighbor’s tree collapsed and struck the child, Rose Elizabeth Hendricks, during the severe weather. She was rushed to a local hospital with traumatic injuries but later succumbed to those injuries at approximately 10:15 p.m. that night at St. Vincent Hospital.

According to officials with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, emergency responders arrived shortly after the incident and found Rose conscious and breathing, though critically injured. Neighbors attempted to lift the tree off her before first responders arrived, ultimately using a floor jack to assist in freeing her.

Rose's mother, Jayme Denamur, said she had been returning home from a grocery store trip with her daughter and son when the storm intensified. Just moments later, part of a nearby tree fell, hitting Rose as her brother stood nearby.

"It's just so hard on us," Denamur said. "Her brother doesn't know how to take it quite yet. This morning he just begged and asked for his sister to come back."

Denamur described Rose as a “miracle baby,” born with collapsed lungs and not expected to survive birth. "She proved the doctors wrong and lived to be nine," she said. "She was very strong and fought until she couldn't no more."

Rose's father, Richard Krystof, recalled his daughter’s spirit and energy. “She made the day better if it was a bad day,” he said, adding that she always had a witty comeback and was full of personality.

The storm that struck Green Bay on Monday brought strong winds and heavy rain, leading to several reports of downed trees and power outages across the region.