Alstede 'Grieving,' Lowers Farm Flag to Honor Toddler Killed in Car Crash

The oversized American Flag waving in the wind on the front lawn of Alstede Farms Tuesday morning was lowered to half-staff, honoring Elizabeth Fuehring, the 2-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a shuttle bus Sunday afternoon.

As the flag waved, more than a dozen school buses sat in the farm’s parking lot on a day where a handful of schools brought students for a field trip.

The business was open to the public as well, just as it was Monday, and mothers with strollers and toddlers scurried about to pet animals and climb hay bales.

Kurt Alstede, the farm’s owner told Patch Tuesday morning, “We’re grieving for the families involved,” in the incident Sunday. Alstede said he wouldn’t comment further until the investigation concluded.

That investigation is ongoing after police were initially dispatched to Alstede’s just after 4:30 p.m. Sunday for a report of pedestrians struck by a vehicle. When they arrived, they found Elizabeth Fuehring, 2, who received CPR. She died as a result of her injuries. Her mother suffered a broken femur and was rushed to the hospital. As of Tuesday afternoon, according to a spokesperson from Atlantic Health Systems, Sarah Fuehring was in “good” condition.

Chester Borough and Chester Township were chaotic Sunday, between local farms drawing huge crowds and the Harvest Festival in town that offered shuttle buses between parking lots, events, and businesses.

Sunday’s tragedy, however, didn’t slow customers from visiting one of New Jersey’s most popular farms. On Monday, Columbus Day, Alstede’s parking lots were filled in large part due to schools being closed for the holiday.

Families venturing over to the business Tuesday knew about the situation from Sunday afternoon, but weren’t deterred by one of their favorite places to visit.

“I just can’t think about it, but I can’t say that it wasn’t a deterrent for us [to come],” said Ann Soles of Wall Township who grew up in the area, graduating Mendham High School in the 1970s. Soles was visiting with her grandchildren Tuesday, and came on a weekday specifically.

“We know the weekends get crowded,” she said. “We’ve come [on weekends] but know it’s easier during the week.”

That sentiment was echoed by others visiting the farm, including Michelle K. from Bridgewater, who asked not to have her last name used.

“We purposely avoid coming on weekends because of how crowded it gets. It’s usually not even this crowded during the week,” she said, citing the extra visitors on school field trips.

Monica Carrero, of Bloomfield, said the same.

“We love it here,” Carrero said while her kids fed some of the chickens. “We came on a weekend one time, but realized it would just be better to come during the week, so that’s what we do.”

Behind her, cars traveled in and out of the farm stand under the subtle fluttering of the lowered flag, and business carried on as usual.

See All of Patch’s Coverage of the Alstede Farm Tragedy:

• UPDATE: One Dead, Several Injured in Alstede Farms Car Crash, Prosecutor Says
• UPDATE: Girl, 2, Died In Tragic Alstede Farm Crash While ‘Enjoying The Day;’ 2 Adults Injured
• Father of Toddler Killed at Alstede Farms: ‘I Lost a Piece of Me’
• Readers React, Lash Out at Farmer After Toddler Killed By Shuttle Bus
• Sadness, But No Surprise in Wake of Fatal Crash at Alstede’s
• Investigation Continues in Death of Toddler at Alstede Farms
• Alstede ‘Grieving,’ Lowers Farm Flag to Honor Toddler Killed in Car Crash

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