Human Interest Human Interest News Natural Disasters Toddler Dead, Mom Critically Injured After Tornado Sends 'Massive' Tree into Home As They Slept The tree fell onto a house in Livonia “where a mother and her 2-year-old child were sleeping” in bed, according to city officials By Abigail Adams Abigail Adams Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 6, 2024 01:59PM EDT Authorities in Michigan say a toddler has died and his mother has been hospitalized after a tornado struck their home while they were asleep. The “quick-developing tornado” developed around 3:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, June 5, and subsequently struck multiple neighborhoods in Livonia, according to a news release from city officials. A “massive tree” that was uprooted in the storm fell onto a house “where a mother and her 2-year-old child were sleeping” in bed. City officials said the child “was pronounced dead at the scene.” His mother was transported to Livonia Trinity Hospital in critical condition. Multiple People Dead, Dozens Injured After Tornado Strikes Small Town in Iowa: 'It's Awful' Officials said it took crews nearly an hour to remove the victims from the home due to the damage caused by the tree. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A 2-week-old child and their grandmother were in another room when the incident occurred, according to NBC affiliate WDIV-TV. A tree crashed onto a home on Hubbard Street in Livonia on Wednesday, June 5 following a storm that produced a tornado. Robin Buckson/Detroit News via AP 4th Grade Girl Among 23 Killed in Alabama Tornado — Here's How to Help Victims' Families “This is a terrible tragedy for our community,” Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan said in a statement shared in the release. “Our hearts are broken, too, and we send our deepest sympathies.” The tornado that ripped through Livonia came from a line of storms that “suddenly became severe” as they entered the area, the city said. City officials said the National Weather Service “called it a spin-up storm,” which apparently did not appear on radars “in enough time to issue a warning.” Trees crashed into a structure at Rotary Park in Livonia, Michigan on Wednesday, June 5 following a storm that produced a tornado. Nolan Finley/The Detroit News via AP 'Impossible You Are Alive': One Texas Man's Quick Thinking Helped Save Dozens During a Tornado The twister remained on the ground for about five minutes “before dissipating at Seven Mile and Middle Belt Roads.” Brosnan applauded first responders for their efforts following the storm. “Our first responders are the best around,” she said. The mayor also thanked “all the caring neighbors who worked hard to clear trees and assist our firefighters and officers.”