Charges Recommended Against Parents of Toddler Hit by Train in Taylor County

Thursday, July 15th, 2021 -- 11:01 AM

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Department is recommending that the parents of a toddler hit by a train be charged for the child’s death.

According to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, at the end of June a 2-year-old child was hit by a train in the Village of Lublin. The toddler was alone when he was hit.  The Sheriff’s Department determined the train was doing everything correctly.

The conductor sounded his whistle and was going a safe speed.  The conductor of the train noticed the child running alongside the tracks and tried to stop but was unable to do so.

The child was not under any supervision and the child had been seen walking down the street alone in a diaper before.  The child was also seen playing in village streets, on rooftops, and other unsafe places like the train tracks.

The child’s parents, identified as 26-year-old Kyle Bratland and 31-year-old Natasha Bratland, are facing child neglect charges, resulting in death.

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