Overview

• Cortez “CJ” Williams Jr., 8, died after a backyard swing set collapsed and trapped him beneath a crossbar in northern St. Louis County.
• The incident happened around 6 p.m. on Sept. 21 in the 11300 block of Larimore Road, according to St. Louis County police.
• Family members freed CJ, who initially seemed only mildly hurt and asked for food and water before becoming unresponsive about an hour later.
• He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead, and the St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons is investigating.
• CJ’s father launched a GoFundMe for funeral costs that had raised over $4,000 by Friday and urged parents to seek medical care after any playground incident.