1-Year-Old Ore. Boy Drowns in Washing Machine

[joe_in_philly]

How terribly tragic. I can remember being fascinated with our washing machine when I was his age.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/year-ore-boy-drowns-washing-machine-16054906

 

[brianl]

That is a very sad story indeed. I am surprised they were able to get the heart to beat after 45 minutes. That is quite a long time.

 

[arbilab]

How sad. But how the devil does a 1yo get on top of a washer at twice his height?

 

[polkanut]

It's easy if the child had an inclination to climb.  My nephew was at our house one time at about the same age and when I came into the dining room he was up on the table trying to stand up.

 

[yogitunes]

Something doesn't seem right about this....then again, its the way the story is written, and not all facts included.....

kids do get into stuff in an instant.....even right in front of you....it happens, no doubt about that.....even mine at 4 learned to climb the walls in the hallway by putting their feet and hands out, in seconds they would be to the ceiling.....thats when the powervent was disconnected.....dangers are at every corner.....

but was the machine running?, why did it have a full tub of water?.....no mention of her soaking or doing a load of wash...did the kid turn the machine on?.....interesting as to what really happened

 

[golittlesport]

don't under estimate a curious child

Very sad. What a horror to discover your baby like that. I recall reading about a similar tragedy a few years ago when another toddler fell into a top load washer. Although the situation warrants an investigation, for those who say a child could not get himself into a washing machine, it is very possible.

As a 2-year old child, I pushed a stool up to our operating washing machine, climbed up, turned on the wringer and tried to feed a piece of laundry through. It pulled my arm in, but fortunately my mom heard my screams and rescued me. I was hospitalized, but my arm is still intact. She said all this happened within two minutes when she went to get the next load of wash.

I could have just as easily lost balance and fallen into the tub full of water.

Another time at about the same age, I climed out of my crib, pushed a toy chest to a window, climed outside, toddled down the street and walked into a hospital. (Not sure if this was before or after the wringer incident.)

I was a handful - my poor mother. I'm lucky to still be here.

 

[aldspinboy]

This is WHY UL have locks on everywasher except GE ...

Which is good for kids ...but not good for checking on your laundry.

Clear windows or a choce of lid tops would be good.

Or a 1 0r 2 min bypass button on the very back of the control panel or....

hidden button for veiwing and distrabution.

I think would be nice options .

 

 

Hey Joe I hope your doing well buddy.

 

 

Darren k

 

[joe_in_philly]

Right back at ya, Darren!

 

[norgeway]

We had a

Slant front Westinghouse dryer when I was a kid, and my Mother was terrified that I would climb in it, if you opened it,while running, it would start back when closed!!, it was in the basement and the door was locked anytime it was on!

 

[passatdoc]

I know someone from a chat board who is related to the family of this little boy. Usually she allowed him to sit on the counter next to the washer and to push the controls, as he helped her load the machine. She went to get some extra clothes and when she returned, she couldn't find him and the washer was running. My guess is that this TL was on fill cycle when she went to get the additional clothes. He fell in and must have tried to grasp the lid, either to haul himself out or else he grabbed or simply hit it on his way down into the machine. The lid closed in after him, the set water level was reached (he would have displaced water, making the water level switch "think" that water level was at desired level), and the machine started. Horrible. He did NOT find a way to climb from the floor to the washer, he was already sitting on the counter as was the family habit.