6-year-old seriously injured in Fox River boating accident

A 6-year-old boy was seriously injured Sunday when he was run over by a boat in the Fox River in northwest suburban McHenry County.

The boy was swimming in shallow water about 4:45 p.m. near Picnic Grove Park at 598 Birch Lane when he was hit by the boat as it returned to dock, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

The child had been swimming near the beach and had dove beneath murky water when he was run over, the sheriff’s office said. The boy was then seen floating unconscious.

Bystanders pulled the boy to the beach and performed life-preserving measures. The child was then flown by Flight for Life to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

The boy’s injuries were considered life-threatening, the sheriff’s office said. Alcohol was not considered to be a factor in the accident.

The boat, an 18-foot-long Bayliner, was piloted by a 19-year-old man from Algonquin.