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2-year-old struck by foul ball in Houston fractured skull, had seizure

Bob Levey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The two-year-old girl who was struck in the head by a foul ball at Houston's Minute Maid Park last month sustained a skull fracture and suffered associated subdural bleeding, brain contusions, and brain edema, according to David Barron of the Houston Chronicle.

Richard Mithoff, an attorney retained by the girl's family, said she has also had a seizure since the incident. She is now on anti-seizure medication, Mithoff told ABC 13 Houston.

"She is doing relatively well, but she has had seizure and the abnormal EEG, and so it's going to be a matter of time," Mithoff said, according to Barron. "It's too early to tell what kind of residual (damage) there may be, but any time there is a fractured skull and bleeding of the brain involved, it's a serious matter.

"She is receiving excellent care, and everyone is hoping and praying for the very best."

The child, whose identity, along with that of her family, is still being withheld, was struck by a line drive off the bat of Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. during the Astros-Cubs game May 29. She was sitting on the lap of her grandparent when hit, and was immediately rushed to hospital, Mithoff said. The family's seats were located just beyond the end of Minute Maid Park's protective netting that extends to the end of each dugout.

While the family is continuing to study all of its options, Mithoff said they have yet to file a suit against the team. The lawyer did, however, issue a public thank-you on the family's behalf to both the public for their concern and Astros owner Jim Crane, who had reached out in the aftermath.

"The family wanted to thank everyone for their concern, and that was first and foremost," Mithoff said. "Secondly, we wanted to see whether or not any conversations can take place that can lead to a discussion of options that would make sense for the fans and the ballparks and the clubs.

"I know Jim Crane and know him to be a responsible owner, and I think he will do the right thing."

Major League Baseball expanded protective netting to the end of each dugout at all 30 ballparks in 2018. This season, however, there have been a number of incidents involving fans being hit while sitting beyond the netting in multiple cities, prompting renewed calls from across the sport for additional protection.

The Chicago White Sox broke ground earlier this month after announcing plans to expand netting from foul pole to foul pole. Several other teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals, have since followed their lead.

The Astros, meanwhile, are still determining whether their netting can be extended.

"We are going to look at what options we could have, potentially for the end of the season but not necessarily during this season," Anita Sehgal, the Astros senior vice president, marketing and communications, told Barron on Tuesday.

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