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Kathy Whyte/WNBF News [file][/caption]A Cortland County farmer is again being called to court in connection with the death of a 14 year old boy working on his property in 2015.

Child Labor Law and other charges against Luke Park of Homer have been reinstated by a New York State Appeals Court at the urging of the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

Park, who owns, in trust, Park Family Farms on East River Road was accused of falsifying business records, failing to report some wages in insurance forms and underpaying some employee insurance as well as counts of child endangerment.

In all, eight felony and two misdemeanor counts are back in place in connection with the death, three years ago, of Alex Smith.

The teen was killed when he was pinned under a hydraulic lift while baling hay at the farm.  At the time, authorities said the boy was not supposed to be allowed, by state law, to operate certain heavy equipment like a Skidloader.

Investigators had said Park allegedly had hired several teenagers to work at the farm, many of them exceeding the number of hours set by New York State Child Labor Law.

 

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