same happened here in Brazil some years ago...
the machine was 10+ years old (Electrolux). the door lock was damaged and the owner simply found a way to remove the lock and bypass it instead of fixing it. The machine had a huge rubber band to keep the door closed.
The parents sued Electrolux... AND WON!
Simply ridiculous! Just like the woman that sued Nestlé because the hurted herself trying to open a can of condensed milk using a knife instead of a can opener. Guess what... Nestlé had to pay a millionaire indenization (for a finger that was completely healed in less than 5 days) because the can had no detailed opening instructions.
Indenization for what? personal injury for a cut as small as a papercut? Moral losses because it was ashaming to let her friends see she was with a bandaid on her finger? Oh.. I know... maybe the phychological trauma was so big that she would have a panic crisis every time she saw a condensed milk pudding or a passion fruit mousse...
People can do "wonders" do get some easy money, specially if they know the pay check can have more than 7 digits before the comma.
Dozens try to sue manufacturers every year in Brazil. and the arguments are the most ridiculous one could imagine.
Electrolux top loaders had the high speed solenoid brake (some models still have it). if the lid is lifted only a few milimeters, the brake goes off and stop the 800rpm drum in less than 3 seconds. It's so strong that the noise is loud as a small bomb and if it were only a few miliseconds faster, the whole machine would move. Even with so fast brakes, some people found their ways to have some kind of accident and then sue electrolux.
No matter what happens, here the manufacturer is always guilty. That's sad.
Oh, and front loaders are much safer than top loaders. two cases happened in Brazil, one with a Mabe washing machine (impeller type, BOL automatic) and other with Mueller (semi automatic, all plastic, that here we call it "tanquinho" (little laundry sink) because this machine is nothing more than a laundry sink with a small impeller on the side)
on both cases children climbed on chairs to watch the machine running and ended falling upside down in the machine. I don't even want to write what happened next. It's horrible, the worst thing happened.
The best solution for washing machines was always good sense. Of course a lid switch or a lid lock may prevent accidents to any of us. The same way the safety belts, air bags and other safety devices reduce the chance of injuries or deaths in a car accident, but don't eliminate the risk.
Only God knows when we can be focused on other things and simply open the machine and reach the tub while it's spinning, the machine will react to reduce the chance of injuries but... It's impossible to any manufacturer to prevent stupid parents and make a machine 500000000% safe.
Children are curious, specially about washing machines, with all the noises, the water, blinking LEDs and beeps. A good mother will always take care of their children and never let them next to a running washing machine at the same time she gossips with the neighbor on the street. 2 minutes is more than enough for an accident to happen.
I remember MY mother used to keep me far from the Bendix Economat or our first Brastemp when I was a kid. If I wanted to watch it, (I always wanted LOL) I had to call her and she'd take me to the machine and stay next to me all the time. And I was afraid to touch it (even the cabinet) because decades ago MY mom told me several times that it was atractive, but very dangerous for small children like me.
Luckily the accident you mentioned above wasn't so serious. The worst didn't happen and I hope the kid get well soon and I also hope his family learn with this traumatic incident and many other parents read these newspaper and it can be useful to prevent other incidents or accidents.
