Little League World Series Player Fractures Skull After Bunk Bed Fall

A 12-year-old Little League player set to play in the Little League World Series this week in Pennsylvania suffered a severe head injury after falling out of bed.

Easton Oliverson, a pitcher and outfielder with the Snow Canyon Little League baseball team out of Santa Clara, Utah, fractured his skull on Sunday night when he fell off the top bunk at the Pennsylvania venue's dormitory complex, according to reports.

Oliverson was flown to a Pennsylvania hospital and underwent emergency surgery, and is now reportedly in a medically induced coma. Doctors are reportedly waiting for the swelling in Oliverson's brain to decrease, but he is expected to make a recovery.

"He went through pretty traumatic surgery to get to where he's at, but the doctors are all really positive," Spencer Beck, Oliverson's uncle, said according to the Salt Lake Tribune. "All of the steps moving forward have been good so far."

Beck said that he was thankful that one of Oliverson's teammates woke up when he fell out of bed and was the one who called for help. "Had that other player not been wakened by him falling, he may not have made it," Beck said.

"Just a really simple thing—something that we've all probably done is fall off the bed," he told to the Tribune. "But he hit his [head] pretty hard, it sounds like."

Snow Canyon is still set to play its first Little League World Series game on Friday at 1 p.m. in Williamsport. According to reports, Oliverson's dad, an assistant coach on the team, still wants them to play.

The team released a statement saying, "We have been told from his family that his current condition is critical, but we are optimistic with some of the early signs he has recently shown. We join the family in asking for prayers on his behalf."

"While our hearts are heavy," the statement added, "we are committed as a team to have an opportunity to take part in something that is only dreamt about by others. We teach our players to do everything with a purpose—that hasn't changed. It has perhaps been added to with something far greater than ever. We believe in Team Utah. We believe in Team Easton."

A statement regarding Oliverson was also released by Little League International, which read: "At the request of his family, Little League International encourages all to join us in keeping the Snow Canyon Little League player and his family in our thoughts and prayers, as we wish for a full and complete recovery. Little League International will continue to use all available resources to support the player, his family, and his coaches and teammates, as we navigate this unfortunate situation."

An Instagram account under the name @MiraclesForTank has been providing medical updates on Oliverson's condition, and a Venmo account under the same name is raising funds for Oliverson to help with medical expenses.

Newsweek reached out to the Snow Canyon team and Little League International for additional comments.