Authorities say two locks designed to hold a vertically-stored bench in the gymnasium wall at a northern New Jersey school weren't secured when the bench broke loose and killed a 7-year-old boy last week.
A New Milford police department report obtained by The Record noted the bench's "dead bolt locking mechanism" wasn't engaged and a "backup swivel safety latch" appeared to be missing from the bench.
Seven-year-old Brendan Jordan was attending a sporting event on June 7 when the cafeteria bench came loose and struck him on the head. The boy's coach, who is also a New Milford police officer, began administering first aid right away, but he was unable to save him.
The bench's dead bolt is controlled by a key and used to secure the bench to the wall.
The missing swivel latch wasn't found in the area of the accident, the report stated, and apparently was missing "for some time" due to the rust seen in the area that held the latch in place.
