“We were playing outside,” Lily started, her voice wavering. “Dad wanted to fix the rope on the treehouse because it was old and frayed. Mr. Parker came over to help him. They were laughing and joking, and then… then they fell.”

Vanessa’s mind raced. She’d taken countless emergency calls, but hearing the story through the eyes of a child made everything so much more poignant. She wished she could reach through the phone and hold Lily’s hand.

“Do you have any pets or anyone else at home with you?” Vanessa asked, trying to gauge the situation further.