MCFARLAND, Wis. — A McFarland mother is sharing her story in hopes of preventing a playground injury like the one that left her daughter with two broken bones.  

Chloe Medenblik said it was their first time visiting the new Waubesa inclusive playground when the accident happened early this spring.  

What You Need To Know

  • A McFarland 2-year-old broke her leg in two places while riding a playground slide on a relative’s lap
  • The injury happened at the newly opened Waubesa inclusive playground
  • Mercyhealth ER doctors say tandem slide riding is a common cause of broken bones in young children
  • The family is now working with the Village of McFarland to install slide safety signs

“You really don’t think anything serious could happen,” said Eli Howery, an eighth grader and Medenblik’s younger brother.  

Howery had placed his niece, Aurora, on his lap to go down a slide together. Within seconds, what started as a fun ride turned dangerous.  

“It was really scary — happened really fast,” Howery said.  

Aurora’s foot got caught between Howery’s leg and the side of the slide, twisting backwards and breaking both her tibia and fibula.  

“I knew something was wrong right away,” Medenblik said“I knew something was wrong right away,” Medenblik said as she tried to remain calm while rushing Aurora to UW Health American Family Children’s Hospital Pediatric ER.  

Dr. Christopher Wistrom, medical director at Mercyhealth, didn’t treat Aurora directly, but said his emergency room frequently sees a number of similar injuries tied to improper tandem use of slides and other playground equipment.  

“It really does run the gamut from scrapes and cuts to lacerations, head injuries and broken bones,” Wistrom said.  

He emphasized that slides are not designed to hold more than one rider at a time — and the momentum of an adult or older child can increase the risk of injury for smaller kids.  

“That slide wasn’t designed to carry two at a time,” Wistrom said. “Nor is a toddler designed to carry the momentum and weight of an adult human when those falls do happen.”  

Medenblik said she doesn’t consider what happened to be a mistake, but rather harmless fun that ended in an accident. She’s now working with the Village of McFarland to install new safety signage at local parks.  

Howery has also taken the incident to heart, adjusting how he plays with his niece.  

“Now, we’ll be taking off her shoes to make sure nothing gets caught,” he said. “And if I’m going with her, I’ll actually hold her leg — and sometimes even her arms and hands.”  

As the family prepared for summer, they said they hoped their story would help others understand the risks — and take steps to slide safely.  

Wistrom added that during the warmer months, emergency rooms often see an increase in playground-related injuries, including burns from hot slides. He urged parents to always check equipment surfaces and supervise children closely.