Annual Memorial remembers Brooke Baures and others

The 21-year-old Winona State
student died in controversial accident

A memorial ceremony every April 28 in La Crosse for workers who died on the job became more personal than usual this year.

Winona State University student Brooke Baures was remembered on Workers Memorial Day at Green Island Park.

Baures’ parents and sister took part in the annual cross-planting.

The 21-year-old waitress was killed in December 2014 when her head became caught in a restaurant dumbwaiter.

Her mother, Kerrie Baures of Chetek, Wis., says many questions about the accident still haven’t been resolved.

“Why was there a dumbwaiter without a permit,” Kerrie Baures asked at the Workers Memorial Day. “Why were the safety mechanisms removed? Why were there no doors on the dumbwaiter? And why did it happen?”

Kerrie Baures wants to see Wisconsin improve the training for its business inspectors, to catch potential safety problems before workers are hurt or killed.