Boy, 13, killed in freak slide accident after going down flume that was covered in screws, stricken mom says

DAILYMAIL.COM • 15h ago

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER 18:22 06 Oct 2026, updated 18:40 06 Oct 2026

A Florida boy died after his shirt got caught on a screw while he went down a slide, according to his heartbroken mother.

Olvin Cabrera Valladares, 13, was supposed to be at school on the morning of September 25, but instead, he rode his scooter to Shenandoah Park in Miami, his mom, Estefanía Valladares, told Local 10.

While he was there, he went down the large enclosed tube and got trapped. He wasn’t rescued until later that day when a man found him while he visited the park with his children, his mother recalled.

‘He told me he pulled on him, but he was caught on a screw,’ Estefanía said.

‘He pulled again, and my son fell out. His arm was inside of his shirt, and his collar was tight around his neck.’

The large swirly slide is lined with screws inside. It is unclear how long Olvin was trapped.

She said that her son was found hanging in the middle of the slide after his T-shirt collar choked him.

The man ‘immediately began administering first aid’ until paramedics arrived and transported Olvin to a hospital, his sister, Stephany Valladares, said on a GoFundMe page.

The boy was placed on life support, but on October 1, he was declared brain dead, Stephany shared.

‘He was my baby, my youngest, just 13 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him. He just wanted to play, and sadly, it was playing that took his life,’ Estefanía said through tears.

She added: ‘As a mother, it’s very hard to lose a son. I never thought I would lose my son.’

The park was closed after Olvin was found, with the city of Miami calling it a ‘non-criminal investigation,’ according to the outlet.

The playground was roped off with yellow police tape, but the following day, it was reopened with the slide back in use, the report stated.

It remains unclear if the slide was repaired or inspected before opening it to the public.

Estefanía has gone on to warn other parents about the dangers of parks.

‘I have a message for parents. Be careful taking your children to these parks. Look at the tragedy that happened to my son,’ she said.

A spokesperson with the city told Local10 they cannot comment on the incident because it ‘is under investigation.’

The Daily Mail contacted the City of Miami Park and Recreation Department, the Miami Police Department, and the City of Miami for comment.

The loss of Olvin has left his family grieving and struggling to figure out how they’ll pay for his funeral.

Stephany said that the money raised on GoFundMe will help them pay for a final farewell to her little brother.

‘Rest in peace, Olvin Daniel. You will always be loved and never forgotten,’ she wrote.

As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $11,000 had been raised.

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