Updated September 2026 with additional details from contemporary news reports.

It is the kind of tragedy every parent fears.

On Sunday, February 21, 2010, 21-month-old Josiah Roeske-Carlson was playing in the driveway of his family’s Maplewood, Minnesota, home with his 8-year-old brother.

Shortly after noon, Josiah’s father was driving an SUV in the driveway when the unthinkable happened.

The vehicle struck the toddler.

Police Described It as a Tragic Accident

The accident occurred in the 2500 block of Nemitz Avenue in Maplewood.

Maplewood Deputy Police Chief Dave Kvam told reporters there was no indication that Josiah’s father, David Roeske-Carlson, was driving recklessly. Police also said alcohol was not believed to have played a role.

Authorities characterized what happened as an unfortunate accident.

Maplewood Fire Department paramedics rushed Josiah to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, but despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Josiah was just a few weeks away from his second birthday. Cemetery records list his birth as April 12, 2008, and his death as February 21, 2010.

A Family Changed in Seconds

As a parent myself, this story is difficult to read.

One minute your child is outside playing with his brother.

The next minute, everything has changed.

There is something especially heartbreaking about an accident like this because it happened during such an ordinary family moment. There was no reckless driver speeding down the street. There was no alcohol involved. According to police, it was simply a terrible accident involving a father and his young son.

Josiah’s obituary described him as a beloved son and brother, cherished by his family and many friends. His funeral was held February 25, 2010, at Redeeming Love Church in Maplewood.

It is impossible to imagine the grief his parents and family experienced.

Driveway Accidents Can Happen Quickly

Young children can be extremely difficult to see from inside a vehicle, particularly when they are close to the front, rear, or sides of a larger SUV or truck.

Children can also move unexpectedly.

That makes driveway safety something worth thinking about every time a vehicle is moved around young children.

Before backing up or pulling forward:

• Know where every young child is.

• Never assume another adult is watching them.

• Walk around the vehicle when necessary.

• Use mirrors and cameras, but do not depend on technology alone.

• Teach children that driveways and parked vehicles are not play areas.

• Whenever possible, have young children supervised by an adult who is not moving the vehicle.

A few extra seconds of caution may prevent a tragedy.

A Story That Stays With You

When this article was originally written in 2010, the thought was simple:

One minute your child is playing, and the next they are gone.

More than 16 years later, that remains the part of Josiah’s story that is hardest to comprehend.

Parents cannot eliminate every risk our children will face.

But stories like this remind us how quickly an ordinary moment can become an emergency and why awareness, supervision, First Aid training, and CPR preparedness matter.

Our thoughts remain with Josiah’s family and everyone affected by this heartbreaking accident.

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Updated September 2026: This article was originally published following the February 2010 death of Josiah Roeske-Carlson in Maplewood, Minnesota. It has been substantially revised with additional details from contemporary news reporting and historical records and updated with current driveway-safety information.

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