Family mourns death of three-year-old N.S. boy

The death of a Bedford, N.S., boy has devastated his community.

The family of three-year-old Maverick Brown is mourning after Maverick was struck and killed by a vehicle in their small Bedford, N.S., community around 8 p.m. last Friday.

Joel Brown, Maverick’s father, says it was a normal day, and Maverick had been playing soccer outside with new friends.

“I told him it was time to come in for bedtime and that it was bath time. And he ran up to me and hugged me and he said, ‘Daddy, I made new friends. Can I just have two more minutes, please?’” says Brown.

“So, I gave him two more minutes because he was having such a good time with his friends…and I said, ‘I’m just going to go inside and clean up from supper. And it was a matter of two minutes to put a couple dishes in the sink.”

Brown says in that two-minute time span, Maverick went after a soccer ball that had rolled onto the street.

“He had tried to go get it and the truck took his life,” Brown says.

Brown says Maverick’s older brother Mason witnessed the incident.

“His big brother is probably one of the strongest kids I have ever met. For him to witness what happened and to carry his little brother to me…he has been so strong. He has been strong for me,” Brown says.

Police say ‘no criminal wrongdoing’

“The investigation has determined that speed and alcohol were not factors in the collision,” Const. Martin Cromwell, public information officer for Halifax Regional Police, said in an email. “This was a tragic incident and there was no criminal wrongdoing by the driver. No summary offence tickets will be issued, nor will the driver be facing any charges.”

Joel says he received an email from the owner of the townhouses.

“He said he was going to put rails over on the side, as well as new signage and speed boats,” says Brown. “I am thankful that they’re doing it. I just really wish it didn’t have to take my sweet little boy’s life to happen.”

Brown says their family, including Maverick’s mother, who lives on Cape Sable Island, is heartbroken by their loss.

“We’re not together anymore. But I just want everybody to know how amazing a mother she was and is,” says Brown. “She loved that little boy to death. And he loved her so much.”

Two GoFundMe pages have been created to support the family.

“The amount of people sharing the GoFundMe and donating… it’s overwhelming and I can’t thank everybody enough,” says Brown.

His family clings to videos and pictures of Maverick, relishing those memories.

“He was always smiling, always laughing. And you can tell how loved he was by his brother, by his mom, by her daughters, her family, by Joell and just everybody around,” says Felicia Newell, Maverick’s aunt.

“You think you have more time. But I just want people to know that sometimes you don’t have more time. So book the flight, take the trip, see your family, get to know them.”

“He was so full of life,” says Brown. “This little boy deserves the world and he’s gone way too soon.”

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