Bruster’s CEO releases statement about child’s death in Auburn

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream CEO Jim Sahene released a statement Monday about the death of 3-year-old Sadie Grace Andrews.

Sadie apparently fell into a grease trap near the Bruster’s on East University Drive in Auburn, Ala. Saturday.

Lee County coroner Bill Harris said the death investigation indicates the child “drowned in sludge that was in a 6-foot-deep container.”

A news release Monday said an investigation by Auburn police is continuing. Auburn police received a 911 call around 1 p.m. Saturday concerning a missing child. When officers arrived, the store’s employees and also family members were trying to perform CPR on Sadie.

She was rushed to East Alabama Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 1:28 p.m

“On behalf of the entire Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Family, our sincerest sympathies goes to the Andrews family, their friends and all of those touched by this horrible accident. We cannot imagine the grief the family is going through. When the time is right, we will reach out to the family to personally offer our condolences and assistance. Our thoughts and prayers also are with the owners of the Auburn shop and their employees,” Sahene said.

“In Bruster’s 28 years, nothing like this has ever happened,” he said. “A thorough investigation is underway to determine how this tragedy occurred. As a precaution, we have asked all of our franchisees to conduct an additi8onal inspection of their grease traps to make sure they are safe. As a father and grandfather myself, I cannot imagine the grief the family is going through. We can only hope that they find some comfort in the outpouring of support we have seen since this tragedy happened.”

This story was originally published October 16, 2017 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Bruster’s CEO releases statement about child’s death in Auburn."