A six-year-old boy was killed in a freak accident on Friday when he fell from a plow being driven by his father to clear snow in a camp in Aspen.

Herman Slaughter had been riding on a Kubota Skid Steer loader on his father, Nathaniel Slaughter’s lap at the Aspen Grove Family Camp in Provo Canyon when the tragic incident occurred. His nine-year-old brother was also on the tractor.

While his father was operating the loader, the machine ‘bounced up or lurched’, authorities said, causing the boy to fall forward out of his seat and into the tractor’s path.

The machine’s bucket – or arm – then struck Slaughter in the head, causing him to suffer critical injuries.

The boy’s father immediately administered CPR on his son until paramedics from the North Fork Fire Department could arrive on scene.

However, despite their best efforts, officials determined the boy’s injuries were too severe and he was pronounced dead at the scene moments afterwards.

‘There’s nothing to indicate that this was negligent or that this was anything other than a tragic accident,’ Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon.

Herman’s body was taken to a medical examiner’s office in Taylorsville for an autopsy, however officials say they don’t expect to find any information from the autopsy that they ‘don’t already know from our investigation at the scene’.

A GoFundMe set up by the family describes Herman as ‘one of heavenly father’s sweetest angels’, who had a ‘great love of live’ and was always smiling and happy.

‘Herman was a best friend to his brothers, Henry, Theodore, and Jedediah,’ the post continued.

Tributes have been shared online by friends who say they’ve struggled to come to grips with the chain of tragic events.

‘Anyone who knows the Bedke family knows they would (and do) do absolutely anything for their people. My heart has been completely broken over the loss of Sarah’s sweet son yesterday,’ wrote Ashlyn Nuss on Facebook.

‘To those who know and love this family, this is a small way we can show we love them in one of the very worst times.’

Jamie Bedke Bingham, Herman’s Uncle, responded to the post thanking Ashlyn for her tributes, adding: ‘This was a tragic accident and we are all heartbroken.’