The death of 6-month-old Gianna Ricciutti — ripped from her mother’s arms by a falling tree limb in Central Park Saturday — will haunt her parents to the end of their days.
But:
* To Mayor Bloomberg, the tragedy was likely an “act of God.”
* To the Central Park Conservancy, custodian of the world’s most famous commons, it wasn’t so serious that direct questions needed to be answered.
* And to the Wildlife Conservation Group, nominally responsible for the tree in question, it wasn’t even worthy of public comment at all.
Said Bloomberg: “This may just have been an act of God. The branch that came down was a healthy branch. It was covered with leaves.”
“It’s very tragic and trying to assign blame isn’t really something we should be focusing on,” the mayor added.
Really? Let’s be clear here.
The tragedy was the fourth serious — and second fatal — incident involving Central Park trees in less than a year:
*Last July 29, Sasha Blair-Goldensohnwas hit by a dead tree limb and left with brain and spinal injuries.
* On Feb. 25, Elmaz Qyra was killed by a falling 20-foot branch.
* And on May 31, three women picnicking by the Boathouse were injured when a branch fell on them; two were hospitalized with head injuries.
So we ask: Just when will it become appropriate to assign blame — or at least responsibility — for such things?
Regarding Saturday’s tragedy, Dan Groves, adjunct professor of the School of Forestry & Natural Resources at Paul Smith’s College of the Adirondacks, says it is “not common” for a healthy limb to just fall off.
Thus, if only God can make a tree, it apparently follows that only God can make a tree limb fall off?
Is that going to be the city’s defense when the tort lawyers show up?
We doubt it will work.
One thing we’re sure of, however: When it comes time to pay the claims, New York’s name will be on the checks.
But time enough for that later.
Right now, Bloomberg, et al., owe more to the family of Gianna Ricciutti than self-protective press releases and a glib assignment of blame to the Deity.
New Yorkers expect better, too.