"Startled by the sound of a foul ball... 3-week-old baby hit in the head by a baseball"

Skull Fracture and Brain Hemorrhage from Foul Ball
Fortunately Recovering... Medical Team Says "Will Heal Naturally"

A story has emerged from the United States about a 3-week-old baby who was critically injured after being hit by a foul ball during a baseball game. Fortunately, the baby is reported to be recovering.

The British daily Daily Mail reported on the 31st of last month (local time) that "a 3-week-old baby who was hit by a baseball at the Hickory Crawdads game fell into a critical condition but fortunately woke up."

According to the Daily Mail, Hunt Prestwood and Courtney Prestwood went to watch a Minor League Hickory Crawdads game at L. P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina, on August 25. They were accompanied by their two sons aged 6 and 3, and their youngest daughter Georgia, who was 3 weeks old.

During the game, Hunt was sitting in the first base dugout feeding Georgia baby food when he heard the crowd shouting "Foul ball" and looked up.

Startled by the ball flying toward him, Hunt tried to protect the baby by pulling her close. However, the ball flew through the space between his ear and shoulder and struck Georgia's head.

Hit on the head by a foul ball and receiving treatment at the hospital in Georgia [Photo captured from Courtney Prestwood's Facebook]

Hunt said, "The moment I looked at my daughter, she was curling up and closing her eyes, and about 45 seconds later she started crying. That time felt like 10 years."

Hunt and Georgia immediately took an ambulance to a local medical center. CT scans revealed a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage, indicating a critical condition.

Georgia was then airlifted by helicopter to a large children's hospital in Winston-Salem. Fortunately, medical staff explained that "the baby's skull will heal on its own."

Georgia was hospitalized for three days while doctors monitored brain swelling, after which she was discharged and is currently recovering at home. Georgia’s relatives are currently raising funds for medical expenses through the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe.

In the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) and NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball), foul ball accidents are rare due to safety nets, but in the United States, foul ball accidents are frequent and sometimes fatal. This is because there is reluctance to expand safety nets due to concerns about obstructing views. According to CNN, about 1,750 spectators are injured by foul balls annually.

As a result, players and baseball fans alike are demanding the expansion of safety nets. According to a 2019 ESPN survey, 76% of fans expressed the opinion that protective nets should be expanded.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.