Oklahoma woman seeks justice after pet raccoon "Melanie" is killed in tragic lawn mower accident in Watonga

April 22, 2025 | Watonga, OK — Heartbreak has swept through the small town of Watonga after Melanie the Raccoon, an internet sensation, was tragically run over by a rideable lawn mower Saturday morning.

Melanie had become something of a local celebrity in Watonga, before rising to internet fame for riding a bicycle. Melanie was a familiar face at local events, school presentations, and neighborhood gatherings.

“He was the soul of this town,” said Patty Lou Harkins, 64, his owner and Principal of Watonga Elementary. “I bottle-fed him as a baby. He liked biscuits and banjo music."

The tragedy occurred when Harkins' neighbor started mowing her front yard on a bright green John Deere. She didn't realize that Melanie had escaped her little playpen and nestled herself into a sunny patch of clover right in the mower's path.

“All I heard was a thwump and the mower started making a funny sound,” she said, visibly shaken. “When I turned around and saw a brown and red fur ball… I dropped to my knees.”

Emergency services were called, but Conis was declared “squished and sliced beyond revival” by local EMT Dale Ray Boone.

News of Melanie's passing spread fast. Within hours, a memorial of flowers and bicycle figurines formed in front of the Watonga Feed & Seed. Pastor Hank Gillis led a candlelight vigil Sunday night where the entire town gathered, sang “Jesus Take the Wheel,” and released 23 helium balloons shaped like hedgehogs.

Melanie will be buried on Harkins’ property beneath a magnolia tree she often climbed. A small plaque will mark the spot.

“She was only with us for a few years,” said Harkins, “but she made a big impact. I’ll miss her every day.”