In 2008, a tragic incident occurred in the Plath family, stars of the TLC reality show “Welcome to Plathville,” resulting in the death of their youngest son, Joshua Plath. Joshua was just a toddler at the time of the accident, which took place at the family’s home in Cairo, Georgia, leaving fans of the show with many unanswered questions.
During a Season 1 episode of “Welcome to Plathville” that aired in November 2019, Kim and Barry Plath, who have since divorced, opened up about the heartbreaking loss of their son while celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary at St. George Island in Florida. Kim reflected on their time spent at the beach, acknowledging the ups and downs they had experienced as a couple and as parents.
Kim shared in her confessional, “It’s been probably 10 years since we lost our son Joshua. He was 17 months old.” Barry added, “Joshua died – and it was an accident, just a terrible accident.”
Kim recounted the tragic incident, saying, “It was a normal day, and we were doing some yard work. I pulled a vehicle forward – I had just seen him. So I thought I was okay, but I pulled forward and I ran over him. And the ambulance comes, and we’re all just praying, crying, and the lady came, she took him to the ambulance, and she came back and she said, ‘I’m sorry.'”
Kim further explained the devastating impact of losing Joshua: “I can tell you that those next six or eight months of my life were hell on Earth. And [Barry], I was dealing with losing a son, he was dealing with losing a son and a wife. Cause I wasn’t there. I was there, but I wasn’t there.”
According to the incident report from the Grady County Sheriff’s Office, which was obtained by In Touch, Kimberly Plath, Joshua’s mother, was seen performing CPR on him after the accident. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of emergency medical services, Joshua could not be revived and was pronounced deceased by the Grady County Corner.
Joshua’s death was ruled as an accident by the Grady County Sheriff in September 2008. Investigator Daniel Singletary stated that there was no wrongdoing or negligence involved, and the incident was deemed a tragic and unfortunate accident. The authorities did not pursue any charges in connection with the incident.
The Plath family has faced immense grief and have had to cope with the loss of their beloved son. Their tragic experience has deeply impacted their lives, and they continue to heal and move forward.