Middlebelt Hill sledding incident leaves woman hospitalized, spurs safety concerns

WESTLAND, Mich. (FOX 2) - A fun day of sledding at a popular Metro Detroit hill turned into a nightmare, leaving a woman in critical condition.

That hill is Middlebelt Hill, also known as 'Dead Man's Hill,' in Westland.

What we know:

The popular sledding spot was empty Thursday afternoon after a series of accidents occurred over the past week. One involved Jessica Wollweber, who'd been in the hospital since Thursday, according to her mother, Michele Maley.

"It’s going to be a very long road of recovery," said Maley over the phone with FOX 2. "Very stressed. Hard to see her like this. Her children are very upset. I mean a week has gone by, you know, just baby steps of improvement."

She told FOX 2 that her daughter slammed head-first into a tree while sledding at Middlebelt Hill. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and immediately underwent surgery at the hospital. She says her daughter also suffered a stroke and may have permanent brain damage.

"Why wasn’t there barrels of hay? I mean I’ve been sledding in other places, and they usually have barrels of hay lined up to stop people," she said.

What they're saying:

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office says there have been three accidents in the last few days which put some people in the hospital. The county then shut it down, putting up orange barrels at the entrance.

FOX 2 received a statement from the county saying:

"For the safety of our community, we have closed Middlebelt Hill at Hines Park in Westland. The well-being of our visitors is our top priority. We appreciate your patience and understanding."

Since the hill was closed, families went sledding on a smaller hill nearby. They heard about what happened and said they tried to be as careful as possible.

"If you’re going sledding somewhere, you know, look around, make sure there’s precautions in place. Like that barrier wall could’ve been up like a soft construction-like wall, or the woods maybe need to be cut back," she said.

What we don't know:

At this time, there is no word about when it will reopen. The Sheriff's Office may fine people if they see them there.

What you can do:

The family created a GoFundMe to help with expenses, and Maley hopes others don’t suffer the same fate.

If you wish to donate, you can tap here.