'My son had an accident on a swing set - he seemed OK, but hours later he was dead'

A little boy who got trapped under a garden swing set in a freak accident has tragically died, police say.

The eight-year-old youngster, identified as Cortez Williams Jr., had been playing happily in the back garden on the swing set when it collapsed and broke apart. Horrifyingly, was left trapped and had to be dislodged from underneath a cross bar.

His familyrushed to his rescue and when CJ was lifted away from the swings, he 'seemed OK' and only appeared to have "minor injuries". But, in every parent's worst nightmare, the schoolboy's condition worsened and he became unresponsibe. That's when the emergency services were called.

Police arrived at the home in Missouri, US, after reports of an eight-year-old boy who was sick, and quickly learned that CJ had got more lethartic as time went on and eventually stopped responding to those around him.

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Emergency responders rushed to help the boy but it was too late to save him and he died in hospital, police said in a statement.

Following the tragedy, CJ's father set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs. In a heartbreaking post, he wrote: "On Sunday, September 21, 2025, my 8-year-old son tragically passed away after a swing set collapsed on him.

"What we thought to be minor injuries turned out to be much worse. CJ became unresponsive a short time later. Lifesaving techniques were administered, but unfortunately, he passed."

The distraught dad added: "My family and I are asking for a little help for a proper burial. Any amount is appreciated. CJ forever 8," ending the post with a red love heart emoji.

Police have ruled the boy's death as accidental but an autopsy report is ongoing.

It comes as mum-of-two was killed while on holiday celebrating her birthday. Jessica Williams had to be convinced to leave her children behind in order to celebrate turning 33.

She decided to head off on a short break with two of her siblings, her mother, and some other family members. "Tomorrow about me," Williams wrote on Facebook, just before flying to Louisiana.

The group headed to New Orleans for a weekend trip. But the unthinkable happened during their time in The Big Easy. Jessica was killed in an out-of-control, early morning street shooting - leaving her two young kids orphaned.

According to her cousin, Kardajia Wells, Jessica and her party went to New Orleans on Friday and planned to come back Sunday, the day of Jessica's birthday. "That was the goal, to just celebrate her and my cousin who just graduated college, so we were going to celebrate the both of them," Kardajia told ABC 7.

She said it was around 2 a.m. Sunday when the family was heading back to their hotel after a night in the French Quarter. "On our way, leaving, two guys got into an altercation, and we're not thinking that they're going to pull out any weapons or any of that, because it's a big crowd," Kardajia said.

According to New Orleans police, the fight led to a "shootout" on Bourbon Street. Bullets flew, seemingly at random, and the gunfire hit three people - a man and two women, including Jessica, who was killed, and her younger sister, who was injured, the New York Post reports.

Police said they interviewed two people of interest and are still looking for another man, who they believe is the suspect. Meanwhile, Jessica's family are focused on rallying around her children and supporting each other.