Yukon girl, 5, struck and killed by tipped soccer net

Watson Lake RCMP and the Yukon coroner's office are investigating after a five-year-old girl playing on a school field died after being struck by a tipped soccer net.

A group of children were playing on the fieldWednesday night when a soccer net tipped and struck the young girl.

Yukoncoroner Kirsten Macdonald saidthe girl'sparents were nearby.

"There are preliminary reports indicating a soccer net tipped over striking a young child on the back of the head," she said. "I'm not sure how big or heavy these soccer nets are. My priority right now is the little one and their family."

The child was pronounced dead at Watson Lake Hospital around 8 p.m.

The girls father is longtime resident Paul Amann. The family has requested that the childs name be withheld.

Michele Royle with the Yukon Department of Education said Thursday it's removing all movable soccer nets from school grounds across the territory.

"Our hearts go out to the family and the communitymembers who are touched by this tragedy," she said.

"The government of Yukon takes this very seriously and we're co-operating with all official investigations. In the meantime the Department of Education is also looking into this matter to see what actions we can take to contribute to the safety of people using soccer fields on school property," Royle said.