MA - Toddler Dies after Lice Treatment (Mayonnaise and a plastic bag) Goes Awry

PastTense

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A central Massachusetts toddler died over the weekend after suffocating while undergoing a home treatment for head lice involving mayonnaise and a plastic bag, police said on Thursday...

The family had put the child to bed on Friday night with mayonnaise and a plastic bag on her scalp in an attempt to treat head lice, he said. As the infant slept, the bag apparently covered her face, suffocating her.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/05/us-usa-massachusetts-lice-idUSKBN0L91YR20150205

No charges have been filed yet. Does anyone see a crime here or not?
 
A huge mistake and possible negligence. But I know if my child had lice I would not want to use harsh chemicals and might try this method. I'd like to think I'd know better than to leave the child unattended, though. If, upon autopsy, no lice is found....then yes, possible crime.
 
I would agree. Unless the parent's story has holes in it, I don't see criminal charges.
 
Um, cops called at 3pm the next day????
 
Possibly crime of stupidity. How can you not foresee a toddler wallowing in the bed and pulling and tugging and doing anything to get the bag off? Plus I've never heard that the mayonnaise had to stay on all night. But, no it is probably not a chargeable offense.
 
Possibly crime of stupidity. How can you not foresee a toddler wallowing in the bed and pulling and tugging and doing anything to get the bag off? Plus I've never heard that the mayonnaise had to stay on all night. But, no it is probably not a chargeable offense.


would have thought that a shower cap would have been safer alternative for a very young child ....... MOO
 
The cops were called at 3 pm? I wonder if they meant putting the child down for a nap, but no it reads friday night the toddler went to bed with the mayo and bag. Possible neglect charges if these hours are real. I can not even imagine any child of any age wanting to sleep with a bag on their head.
 
I don't see a crime. I see someone trying to kill lice in a healthy way because we know the chemicals are caustic.

This seems like tragedy to me. Nothing more.
 
The family had put the child to bed on Friday night with mayonnaise and a plastic bag on her scalp in an attempt to treat head lice, he said.
Police in Springfield, about 90 miles west of Boston, responded to the 18-month-old girl's home at about 3 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a 911 call that a child was not breathing,
Well if the child went to bed on Friday night and help was alerted on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm, where the heck were all the adults on Saturday morning?

I dunno, if no one checks on a toddler wearing a plastic bag for 15 hours or more, it sounds like negligence to me. Even without the plastic bag I'd say it sounds bad.
 
:fence: I can certainly understand not wanting harsh chemical delousing treatments in favor of some of the more benign home remedies. But if the timeline is put to bed with plastic bag on 18 month old's head and she was left unattended I think it warrants the closer look it is getting.

Police in Springfield, about 90 miles west of Boston, responded to the 18-month-old girl's home at about 3 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a 911 call that a child was not breathing, said department spokesman Sergeant John Delaney. Officers found an adult administering CPR to the child, but medical personnel determined that the young girl had been dead for some time, he said.

The family had put the child to bed on Friday night with mayonnaise and a plastic bag on her scalp in an attempt to treat head lice, he said

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/05/us-usa-massachusetts-lice-idUSKBN0L91YR20150205

The girl was left unattended and apparently fell asleep, allowing the bag to slip down over her face, suffocating her.


http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-massachusetts-girl-dies-head-lice-treatment-28743260
 
Um, cops called at 3pm the next day????

Also,

Police in Springfield, about 90 miles west of Boston, responded to the 18-month-old girl's home at about 3 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a 911 call that a child was not breathing, said department spokesman Sergeant John Delaney. Officers found an adult administering CPR to the child, but medical personnel determined that the young girl had been dead for some time, he said.

Put a baby to bed on Friday night but don't call police until 3:00pm and child has been deceased for some time.

Yes, I see a crime. moo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Also,

Police in Springfield, about 90 miles west of Boston, responded to the 18-month-old girl's home at about 3 p.m. on Saturday after receiving a 911 call that a child was not breathing, said department spokesman Sergeant John Delaney. Officers found an adult administering CPR to the child, but medical personnel determined that the young girl had been dead for some time, he said.

Put a baby to bed on Friday night but don't call police until 3:00pm and child has been deceased for some time.

Yes, I see a crime. moo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If that is true, Then something is up.. But I am leaning towards the baby being down for a nap around that time and maybe the same treatment used as was used the night before. That sounds practical to me.
 
If that is true, Then something is up.. But I am leaning towards the baby being down for a nap around that time and maybe the same treatment used as was used the night before. That sounds practical to me.

Perhaps is bad reporting.

Poor baby girl.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have trouble imagining the stupidity of putting a toddler to bed with a plastic bag under any circumstances.
 
I have trouble imagining the stupidity of putting a toddler to bed with a plastic bag under any circumstances.

Me too the poor little soul. I'm sure the child did not need the bag on her head overnight and should never have been left unattended with it on. I hope this tragedy is a lesson for other parents on what not to do when trying this technique.
 
At 18 months old surely you could just cut off the hair?
 
Poor baby.
Poor parents.
Imagine having to live with knowing you did that.
 
I can't imagine leaving a child of 18 months with any sort of access to a plastic bag unsupervised for any length of time, let alone long enough to fall asleep and have been dead for some time before it was noticed and 911 called. If this baby girl was put down Friday night for bed and not discovered til 3 PM dead the next afternoon that is all kinds of criminally negligent IMO. If this is sketchy reporting and the child was simply left unattended and fell asleep or put down for a nap in this state I STILL consider it negligent but possible that it was simply a terrible error in judgment and not to a criminal degree.

Still :fence: til we get more info on the investigation happening into the details of this incident by officials.
 

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