By: Richard L. Smith
In Elizabeth, a sparring match between an adult and a juvenile at Miller Playground on South Park Street resulted in the hospitalization of the teenager on Monday evening, sparking concerns among local officials and residents.
RLS Media has learned that witnesses described the incident, which occurred around 7:15 p.m., as part of an ill-advised and unsanctioned neighborhood training session.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were called to the scene after receiving reports of an injured teenager.
Upon arrival, they discovered the boy lying motionless on the ground.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the sparring sessions involving the man and local youths were a regular occurrence at the park.
According to witnesses, the man, identified as a parent of another child, would often box with the kids, sometimes allowing the teens to spar with each other using gloves to practice and demonstrate their training.
However, the session took a dangerous turn when the parent, reportedly boxing with the teenager, accidentally knocked the boy out.
According to Witnesses, the injured teen informed EMS personnel that he was unable to move, necessitating his transfer to the hospital on a stretcher.
Witnesses described the match as a casual activity gone wrong, noting the parent's unintended excessive force.
The identity of the parent involved in the incident has not been disclosed, and Witnesses said that the injured boy's parents were not present at the park before or after the emergency services arrived.
Elizabeth police have not released detailed information about the incident at this time.
No other injuries were reported.
