VA - 5-month-old twins die after being left in SUV, Chesterfield County, 11 May 2018

[perfectingpink]

Thank you for bringing this to my attention justchrissy47!! (Feel free to add anything you would like!)

It sounds like dad dropped mom off at work, went home, forgot to get the babies out of the car and fell asleep.

5-month-old twins die after being left in SUV

[....]

The 5-month-old twins were found unresponsive around 2:30 p.m. in an SUV in the 2400 block of Alfalfa Lane near Jefferson Davis Highway, according to WTVR.

Police, along with Chesterfield County Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the children to Chippenham Hospital.

One of the children was pronounced dead at the hospital Thursday afternoon. The other child died several hours later.

[....]

Police continue to investigate the incident.

http://kdvr.com/2018/05/11/five-month-old-twins-die-after-being-left-in-suv/

 

[AlwaysHopeToHelp]

Thank you for bringing this to my attention justchrissy47!! (Feel free to add anything you would like!)

It sounds like dad dropped mom off at work, went home, forgot to get the babies out of the car and fell asleep.

5-month-old twins die after being left in SUV

[....]

The 5-month-old twins were found unresponsive around 2:30 p.m. in an SUV in the 2400 block of Alfalfa Lane near Jefferson Davis Highway, according to WTVR.

Police, along with Chesterfield County Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the children to Chippenham Hospital.

One of the children was pronounced dead at the hospital Thursday afternoon. The other child died several hours later.

[....]

Police continue to investigate the incident.

http://kdvr.com/2018/05/11/five-month-old-twins-die-after-being-left-in-suv/

What the heck is going on?! Why do parents keep doing this?! You legit have 2 babies that are extremely dependent on you and a LOT of work to care for, how do you not notice that suddenly the house is silent and you aren’t repeatedly changing and feeding two small infants?! TWO, not one but 2!?
Omg - thanks for opening the thread, I slammed my hand on steering wheel when I heard. I’m between dumbfounded and rageful. I sure hope the police don’t fall for this “story”. 🤬


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hiandmighty]

It happened to a woman I know 1-2 years ago. Great woman, loving mother. Husband offshore. Had a lot going on. Schedule changed that day. She made lunch for her office too. Forgot the 3 year old in the car.

Her Facebook ever since then is so hard, so many photos and wishes. She is supported by the community and has a strong sense in God and that her daughter is in heaven.

She is fragile. Gained a ton of weight. Trying to continue living for her other daughters. Doing the best she can.

 

[Trident]

This really has to stop. I believe there are some safeguards out there, to remind you that children are in carseats behind you. Here's 1, but I'm sure there are others:
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/releases/2002/02-008.html

I believe a child/carseat safety device should be mandatory in all vehicles with a back seat, the same as seat belts.

Let's quite screaming and crying and do something.

 

[gregjrichards]

This really has to stop. I believe there are some safeguards out there, to remind you that children are in carseats behind you. Here's 1, but I'm sure there are others:
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/releases/2002/02-008.html

I believe a child/carseat safety device should be mandatory in all vehicles with a back seat, the same as seat belts.

Let's quite screaming and crying and do something.

I am fed up with little ones dying needlessly too and I agree something needs to be done. This tragedy is going to repeat itself several times this summer.

 

[MaryG12]

How exactly does one forget they have a baby or young child in the back seat of their vehicle?

One idea I have heard is, placing one's handbag/wallet/mobile devices in the backseat so you do not forget you have a human being back there waiting for you to carry it into the house.

 

[gregjrichards]

How exactly does one forget they have a baby or young child in the back seat of their vehicle?

One idea I have heard is, placing one's handbag/wallet/mobile devices in the backseat so you do not forget you have a human being back there waiting for you to carry it into the house.

That’s a useful idea another one I read was putting a teddy bear in the front seat. Surely the car manufacturers can come up with something and share the patent to save children. It would be great if a car/suv/etc would refuse to lock and sound the alarm “attention child in vehicle, attention child in vehicle” if the weight of a child and or car seat was detected by seat weight sensors.

 

[justchrissy47]

What is going on in our society that people are not leaving one but TWO babies in a car. Pardon my language but are we that stupid as a society that we need laws to ensure that all cars have a safety mechanism to prevent this??

I can't even....

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

 

[gregjrichards]

What is going on in our society that people are not leaving one but TWO babies in a car. Pardon my language but are we that stupid as a society that we need laws to ensure that all cars have a safety mechanism to prevent this??

I can't even....

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

It is a terrible situation I totally agree.

 

[AlwaysHopeToHelp]

I’ve even heard putting your shoe in the back will help you remember - I thought it was crazy that one needs to undress just to remeber an infant but I guess it isn’t so crazy after all....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gsue415]

This really has to stop. I believe there are some safeguards out there, to remind you that children are in carseats behind you. Here's 1, but I'm sure there are others:
NASA - NASA Develops Child Car Seat Safety Device

I believe a child/carseat safety device should be mandatory in all vehicles with a back seat, the same as seat belts.

Let's quite screaming and crying and do something.

Agreed..don't understand how this could happen but let's stop it now..beep if belt buckles..I mean door chimes on

 

[musicaljoke]

How many months of parental leave do employees get in VA? From the article, it seems like both parents were working, possibly shifts, and taking care of twins that were only 5 months old. The fatigue level must have been beyond imagining. I've never had twins, but I had 4 babies in 5 years, and I totally understand how a parent can forget that he or she has a baby. Car seats should most definitely have warnings when a child is left in a car, and not just a silly beep that could go unnoticed by a zombie parent, but a verbal message for all around to hear, "CHILD LEFT IN CAR".

 

[musicaljoke]

How exactly does one forget they have a baby or young child in the back seat of their vehicle?

One idea I have heard is, placing one's handbag/wallet/mobile devices in the backseat so you do not forget you have a human being back there waiting for you to carry it into the house.

Chances are, the diaper bag, which contains the wallet and phone, is already in the back seat. A parent who is so extremely fatigued to the point of forgetting that he or she has a child, will also forget to do the little trick to help them not forget.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

I'm just wondering if the common denominator to all of these forgotten children (as opposed to the deliberate situations like that recent monster in Georgia) might be some type of medication? Perhaps that popular one for insomnia that can cause some odd side effects? Those poor babies...

 

[MaryG12]

I'm just wondering if the common denominator to all of these forgotten children (as opposed to the deliberate situations like that recent monster in Georgia) might be some type of medication? Perhaps that popular one for insomnia that can cause some odd side effects? Those poor babies...

I would hate to think that a medication is responsible for forgetfulness of a child. Why are some of these parents so caught up in something else while driving when their children are in the backseat.

 

[Traymar]

This is hard for me to fathom, because my mind is not off my children for long - ever. When my children were younger and rode in car seats, I was always thinking of them while driving: did he/she fall asleep, is he comfortable, is her head tilted in such a way that it will hurt when she wakes, will he sleep until we get there, if she sleeps the whole way will she be able to sleep tonight, is he hot or is the sun shining down on him, should I try to wake her up or let her sleep, will she be hungry when we get there, is he cold or maybe kicked his blanket off, will this music wake her, will this bumpy road wake him, why is that car tailgating me - I have a baby to protect, did she drop her water and if so will she wake up wanting it so maybe I should look before I get on the interstate, I can't wait to get him out of his carseat because I know it can't be very comfortable... and so on.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me.