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Mother Backing Out of Driveway Runs Over, Kills Daughter 2

Friday, January 18, 2008



LONGMEADOW, Mass. — A Longmeadow woman backing out of her driveway in a sport utility vehicle ran over her 2-year-old daughter and killed her.

According to the Republican newspaper of Springfield, the Wednesday night incident remains under investigation, but police consider it an accident.

Police withheld the name of the woman and the child. They also did not release the address or the street name where the accident occurred out of concern for the family's privacy.

No other information was immediately available.

Why are you mad, you don't have enough information to be mad. Accidents do occur.

I'm mad because this "accident" seems to happen way too often! It's pure negligence that this occurs so frequently.

Really...how often? Any statistics?

I don't know or care about statistics to know that it's bogus. Watch your kids. Know where they're at. Is it really that difficult? How many times must we read these news stories where kids get run over, Sheryl? It's amazing when someone else runs over a kid we say "where were the parents?!" But when the parent does it we are quick not to accuse.

I'll tell ya what, when you have a couple of kids on your own, get back to me.

You know better than that, Sheryl. You know way better. I know exactly where that came from. Watch yourself.

And watch your kids.

Look Red, it's easy to look from the outside and say oh that parent was neglecting the kids. But if you don't have a toddler you don't know how easy it is for them to dart away from you in the literally the blink of an eye. You don't know, you think you do, but you don't.

Sheryl;759811 wrote: Look Red, it's easy to look from the outside and say oh that parent was neglecting the kids. But if you don't have a toddler you don't know how easy it is for them to dart away from you in the literally the blink of an eye. You don't know, you think you do, but you don't.
I know, I helped raise three boys and sometimes no matter how diligent you are whoooosh they're gone. Sometimes its them playing hide and seek from you and they won't peep because they think its funny to hide from Dad, then mom comes home and asks "where's the kid" Crap I don't know I can't find the little hellions. Turns out they are hiding in a closet or something.

Sheryl, its easy to be a parent and not take accountability for your actions.

Accidents (tragedies) may happen on occasion but we're not talking about your kid scalding himself at the faucet, we're talking about not knowing your kid is in back of your car. Responsible people don't run over their kids as frequently as is reported.

That doesnt work for me, AE. At all. Neither did the remark. But I am mad about it (me who allegedly hates kids) and I see no reason for it. Put the kid IN the car then you know where he's at.

RedGlitter;759821 wrote: That doesnt work for me, AE. At all. Neither did the remark. But I am mad about it (me who allegedly hates kids) and I see no reason for it. Put the kid IN the car then you know where he's at.


RedGlitter;759817 wrote: Sheryl, its easy to be a parent and not take accountability for your actions.

Accidents (tragedies) may happen on occasion but we're not talking about your kid scalding himself at the faucet, we're talking about not knowing your kid is in back of your car. Responsible people don't run over their kids as frequently as is reported.
Red, the only way to keep all accidents from happening to children would be to keep them locked in a cage 24/7. Are some parents not worthy of raising kids? yes. But Accidents happen to the best people with the best intentions even with the best skills.

RedGlitter;759821 wrote: That doesnt work for me, AE. At all. Neither did the remark. But I am mad about it (me who allegedly hates kids) and I see no reason for it. Put the kid IN the car then you know where he's at.


Good idea.Then they can accidently leave the child in the baking hot car to bake to death, even though they wouldnt leave their laptop, money, designer sunglasses, or anything else of value in the car and forget about it.

YZGI;759832 wrote: Red, the only way to keep all accidents from happening to children would be to keep them locked in a cage 24/7. Are some parents not worthy of raising kids? yes. But Accidents happen to the best people with the best intentions even with the best skills.


ya have a point

i say kid cages are the way forward

cloned meat in cubes to fit through bars

ya the man:wah::D:rolleyes:

:wah:

RedGlitter;759821 wrote: That doesnt work for me, AE. At all. Neither did the remark. But I am mad about it (me who allegedly hates kids) and I see no reason for it. Put the kid IN the car then you know where he's at.


It was not a cheap shot. It was a statement. You may think you know how why accidents like this happen. But unless you work around little kids or a parent you don't realize just how wily little kids can be.

Sheryl, I've been around small kids since I was 12 years old.I know how they can be. I just see things differently from the way you do apparently.

Negligence would have to be on the part of the manufacturers IMO, not the parents. This article is from 2005.

It's called the "bye-bye syndrome" said Janette Fennell, founder of the auto safety group Kids and Cars.

Wanting one last chance to see mommy, daddy, or grandmother before they go, a child will run up behind the vehicle at the worst possible time. Small children don't realize that the driver may not be able to see them.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/03/Autos/t ... /index.htm




Seat belts are mandatory. Headlights are mandatory. Breaks are mandatory... sure cars would be much more affordable if they were options..:rolleyes:

The technology is out there to prevent this tragedy.

Blaming the parents is just stupid. Not just unfeeling, but also just plain stupid.

It's neither unfeeling nor stupid, grh.

The parents are the adults. It's their JOB to know their kid is not behind their car. Blaming the manufacturer is insane. If you know there are no beeping back-up alarms on your car then do your JOB and watch out for what may be behind you! It's fully th eparents' responsibility. My God, is Chevy at fault because this woman didn't pay attention? If you know the problem (running over kids) exists, then be aware of it.

This awful thing has happened to a family, who will never recover. Because the parents were not careful enough, didn't pay attention 100% of the time, maybe got tired, maybe just had an off moment. They were not all seeing, all knowing, not perfect. I have off moments myself, and tremble sometimes at what could happen in that one-off split second of human frailty.

It is very sad that this happened, my prayers for the family have already been said.:-4

I was referring to Sheryl's comment about "have a couple kids and get back to me."

It always amazes me how parents seem to think they have a monopoly on kids, yet they don't always accept responsibility for when they screw up.

I am paranoid about this, it is one of my biggest fears. It can so easily happen.

When Lucy was smaller she was very much a Mummys girl and hated being left at home without me. So sometimes, when I had to go out without her and leave her with Dad, I would sneak out. I nagged Grahams ears off about making sure she stays with him. I was always scared that she would realise and come running out of the front door, at the back of the car, as I was backing out of the garage. I would stop, check stop, check .... it would take me 20 mins to back the car up.

Also, as Lucy cannot take the school bus, I drop her off and pick her up - I am paranoid about little kids being behind my car in the school parking lot. Some parents may be guilty of not watching their kids enough, but having had a Josh, who could disappear in a split second, I can see how that could happen. I kept Josh on a wrist strap far longer than should have been - but he just was not safe in crowds or where there were cars.

That poor little angel has now lost her life :-1 Her mother must be heart-broken - its bad enough to loose a child, but to accidently kill her yourself. :-1

I seriously think I would end my own life if I did this :-1

ThePheasant;759873 wrote: I am paranoid about this, it is one of my biggest fears. It can so easily happen.

When Lucy was smaller she was very much a Mummys girl and hated being left at home without me. So sometimes, when I had to go out without her and leave her with Dad, I would sneak out. I nagged Grahams ears off about making sure she stays with him. I was always scared that she would realise and come running out of the front door, at the back of the car, as I was backing out of the garage. I would stop, check stop, check .... it would take me 20 mins to back the car up.

Also, as Lucy cannot take the school bus, I drop her off and pick her up - I am paranoid about little kids being behind my car in the school parking lot. Some parents may be guilty of not watching their kids enough, but having had a Josh, who could disappear in a split second, I can see how that could happen. I kept Josh on a wrist strap far longer than should have been - but he just was not safe in crowds or where there were cars.

That poor little angel has now lost her life :-1 Her mother must be heart-broken - its bad enough to loose a child, but to accidently kill her yourself. :-1

I seriously think I would end my own life if I did this :-1


Great post Pheasy, and I agree 100%, I could share stories after stories about the boys, but I won't....but I will say that I, too had my oldest who is ADHD on a leash in public and got the nasty looks from people, but umm, he was safe and I knew where he was. There are many other times they got away from me, ONE woman and 3 active boys....NOT an easy task...

I also agree that I would probably end my life also....parents make mistakes...they are human too....:-1

why is it difficult to just explain to the child, run behind the car, you get hurt?

end of problem.

RedGlitter;759858 wrote: It's neither unfeeling nor stupid, grh.

The parents are the adults. It's their JOB to know their kid is not behind their car. Blaming the manufacturer is insane. If you know there are no beeping back-up alarms on your car then do your JOB and watch out for what may be behind you! It's fully th eparents' responsibility. My God, is Chevy at fault because this woman didn't pay attention? If you know the problem (running over kids) exists, then be aware of it.


Well, yes it is!:p:-6

lemon_and_mint;759880 wrote: why is it difficult to just explain to the child, run behind the car, you get hurt?

end of problem.


I do and have, but young kids run on emotion and 'at the moment' - they don't consider things like that.

That's why you have to be AWARE.

Because you KNOW they're going to do this stuff.

lemon_and_mint;759880 wrote: why is it difficult to just explain to the child, run behind the car, you get hurt?



end of problem.
All parents explain theses things, we also tell them that if they put dog poo in their mouths that their breath will be nasty. Still doesn't stop them from doing it.

RedGlitter;759883 wrote: That's why you have to be AWARE.

Because you KNOW they're going to do this stuff.
Now if someone would just tell us when they would do stupid things. Give me ESP super human strength, x-ray vision etc etc and maybe mistakes and accidents won't happen. Until then, I'm sorry MISTAKES AND ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN!!!!

YZGI;759889 wrote: All parents explain theses things, we also tell them that if they put dog poo in their mouths that their breath will be nasty. Still doesn't stop them from doing it.


:wah::wah:true, so very true!!

My middle son drove my conversion van when he was three years old into the yard...thank God he was okay, it was raining...I just got the van to stop right before it hit a tree....things happen to the best of us parents....really it does...

AngelEyes82;759898 wrote: When you tell a 2 year old to NOT go behind a car.. it will go in one ear and out the other. they don't know right from wrong yet.. you're in the process of teaching them these things at that age. you don't have any kids, right?


no i don't have any kids, but it seems to me that a child that can understand enough to know what is on offer when asked if it wants chocolate, can understand what pain is, and therefore can understand that if a car runs you over it hurts.

lemon_and_mint;759899 wrote: no i don't have any kids, but it seems to me that a child that can understand enough to know what is on offer when asked if it wants chocolate, can understand what pain is, and therefore can understand that if a car runs you over it hurts.
:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotflNow if you were to offer chocolate to stay away from car that might work.:wah:

YZGI;759901 wrote: :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotflNow if you were to offer chocolate to stay away from car that might work.:wah:


it wasn't meant to be funny, but glad you found it amusing.

YZGI;759901 wrote: :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotflNow if you were to offer chocolate to stay away from car that might work.:wah:


:wah: That might just work, ever thought of becoming a therapist Wisey :wah:

I'm getting a bit tired of the holier than thou "YOU don't have kids so YOU don't know" comments. I don't know if it's being said out of defensiveness or ignorance but it seems to ME that if *I* don't have kids and I still see the necessity to make sure my kid is not behind the damned car, that any PARENT should be able to handle as little.

ThePheasant;759908 wrote: :wah: That might just work, ever thought of becoming a therapist Wisey :wah:
I hear that all the time.

RedGlitter;759912 wrote: I'm getting a bit tired of the holier than thou "YOU don't have kids so YOU don't know" comments. I don't know if it's being said out of defensiveness or ignorance but it seems to ME that if *I* don't have kids and I still see the necessity to make sure my kid is not behind the damned car, that any PARENT should be able to handle as little.
Red, we all know that it is our responsibiliy to not run over our children. Now saying that, I have been a parent for 27 yrs now and realize that there are times no matter how hard we try that we cannot keep total control over children. Think of it this way Red. Do your dogs do every single thing you ask of them? No they don't. Now give them thumbs and logic and see if you can keep track of them and if they mind you to a tee.

There's a difference between knowing to watch your kid and doing it.

I've never run over my own dog.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sout ... 738437.stm

this is the sort of thing which irritates those of us without children - now if this was me, in a busy airport car park, i would have held tight to the child if there was any chance of it running off, but no, there were 3 family members none of them could be arsed to actually watch the child, although "of course they all saw the accident" and guess who was the vilain of the piece?Thats right, the innocent car driver who ran him over.

I don't see a holier than thou attitude.

I had my kids late in life (geriatric mother :wah:), before having children I could not understand a lot of things that happened with kids. Like those screaming little sh1ts in the grocery store :wah:, I remember thinking 'what the hecks wrong with those parents' or when I would hear a mother saying 'If you are good Tommy, I will buy you a chocolate bar' - I remember thinking crikes she is blackmailing that child. I also, could not understand any situation where the parent did not have 100% control over the child, 100% of the time.

Well! did I get an eye-opener when I had Josh!

I would be interested to see if there is anyone out there who has had kids and agrees that this could only happen through neglect from the parent.

lemon_and_mint;759917 wrote: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sout ... 738437.stm

this is the sort of thing which irritates those of us without children - now if this was me, in a busy airport car park, i would have held tight to the child if there was any chance of it running off, but no, there were 3 family members none of them could be arsed to actually watch the child, although "of course they all saw the accident" and guess who was the vilain of the piece?Thats right, the innocent car driver who ran him over.


That is insane. Where's common sense? I guess kids just outsmart their parents. Or wait, it was the car maker's fault for not installing sensors....or the airport's fault for not having a security guard/nanny on duty....you would think a parent and a GRANDPARENT between them would have enough sense about them to have a grip on that kid. Now he's dead.

RedGlitter;759916 wrote: There's a difference between knowing to watch your kid and doing it.

I've never run over my own dog.
Good for you Red. I haven't run over any of my kids either. Sometimes Red it is hard to understand situations that you have no experience in. Thats not a cut on you for not being a parent. I have no idea what combat in a war is like so I feel I cannot give advice to a soldier in combat.

ThePheasant;759922 wrote: I don't see a holier than thou attitude.

I had my kids late in life (geriatric mother :wah:), before having children I could not understand a lot of things that happened with kids. Like those screaming little sh1ts in the grocery store :wah:, I remember thinking 'what the hecks wrong with those parents' or when I would hear a mother saying 'If you are good Tommy, I will buy you a chocolate bar' - I remember thinking crikes she is blackmailing that child. I also, could not understand any situation where the parent did not have 100% control over the child, 100% of the time.

Well! did I get an eye-opener when I had Josh!

I would be interested to see if there is anyone out there who has had kids and agrees that this could only happen through neglect from the parent.


I was the same way Pheasy. Before I had my kids, I was always critical of parents who's kids were acting up in public, ect. Then I had my kids and got a big dose of reality. It's not an easy job being a parent. :wah: