Boy, 3, crushed to death by park monument -- as he's rushed to nurse mom's hospital while she's working

Published
June 22, 2026
Outcome
Fatal
Location
Rooks, Washington
Rooks Park, Capt. Albert H. Rooks/USS Houston CA-30 memorial
Incident type
Premises

Summary

Premises Rooks Washington in Rooks, Washington: On April 1, 3-year-old Kaleb Ortega was with his father and sister at Rooks Park in Walla Walla, Washington, when a massive monument at the Capt. Albert H. Rooks/USS Houston CA-30 memorial fell on the boy and fatally injured him. He was rushed by ambulance to a hospital where his mother, Claudia Garcia, was working as a nurse. His parents are suing multiple companies involved in the monument's construction and renovation for emotional-distress damages.

Publicly reported parties

Name Role Status
Claudia Garcia Unknown Injured
Miguel Ortega Unknown Injured
Boulder Designs, Boulder Magic, Builders FirstSource, American Rock Products, Wenzel Nursery, Neil Binder and the Binder marital community, and Double T Construction At-fault party

Original reporting

Boy, 3, crushed to death by park monument -- as he's rushed to nurse mom's hospital while she's working

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