Posted on 08/05/2005 11:12:08 AM PDT by JZelle
MARION, Va. (AP) -- The mother of a 5-year-old girl who died in a coin-operated washer sued the machine's manufacturer, saying it started up with the child inside even though no money had been put into the machine.
Rebecca Hope Wagoner was asphyxiated June 17 after the 30-pound girl became trapped inside the triple-load washer. The washer, the suit contends, "started immediately without the insertion of any coins."
The washer requires 11 quarters to operate and will not accept coins until the heavy door is shut, officials have said. The door cannot be unlatched while the machine is operating.
Rebecca Billings Wagoner, Hope's mother, had to use a rock to smash the door and pull her daughter out.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.washingtontimes.com ...
A child shouldn't hide in an old refrigerator either, but it happens.. and sadly kids die.. which is why refrigerators no longer lock when closed.
It is certainly not beyond the pail that children will climb into any opening large enough for them to fit.. should they? NO... will they? A certain number of them will, no matter how good or bad of parent they have.
If you think a child can't get out of your sight and into mischief quickly, even if you are "on the ball"... you've haven't been around many kids.
I think a design change might be under consideration for commercial washing machines... much as the change to refrigerators.... I don't believe the vendor per se has liability for the child's death.. but steps should be made to ensure this doesn't happen again.
Somebody's going to pay, one way or the other.
I posted that thread
They will put a warning sign, remove chids clothes/undress before washing.
No, it looks like the brother and sister were goofing around. Even if the mother looked over and saw them goofing around she should be able to assume that the blasted machine wouldn't start without money. There have been recalls in other instances of the machines starting on their own. Definitely a manufacturer's problem, definitely a liability.
The machine most likely had time left from the previous load, so when the door was closed again it restarted.
There is no way they're going to be able to design a front-loading washing machine that doesn't lock.
This was posted a few weeks ago. I asked the same question--what was the 5 year old doing in the washing machine? Who put her there?
washers don't kill people, people kill people,
guns don't kill people, people kill people,
suv's don't...
aw hell, sue them all, get a washboard & a slingshot & a horse & buggy...
Not likely. These kinds of machines won't unlock at all until the cycle is done or before the cycle is cancelled. If you cancel the load, it drains the water out first, so you have to start over again.
Let's she, she fails to take responsibility for leaving the girl unattended while she goes to use a phone. She fails to take responsibility for her other child who is probably a sicko. She wants the company to take responsibility for a "faulty" machine while she accepts none.
Typical extortion of money by a probably welfare mother.
No, but it could be designed to be able to unlock from the outside.
I'm not saying that the manufacturer should be held responsible, though...
Sorry, but I don't buy it. Laundromat patrons frequently pump the quarters into the machine ahead of time, then when the lid closes, presto, it runs. I'm guessing mom had already fed the machine, then the poor girl closed the lid and it was all over.
The machine doesn't need to be fixed. The boy does.
Yes, I know.
There have been a couple of other articles posted.
Mom left the 5 yr old and the 14 yr old at the laundry.
14 yr old put the child in the washer.
Don't know if it was malicious or just stupid.
But the teen did it.
First it was SUV's, now it's coin-operated washing machines being diabolical child-killers....
I agree that mom was negligent, but what kind of washing machine in a public place has no emergency stop and no way to open it while running.
Even shop tools intended for use by trained adults have emergency stop buttons.
I'm on the fence on this one. I say award some money to mom, and then hang her for criminal neglect.
It seems that we have only the brother's word that the machine started all by itself (after he closed the door on her).
Thanks for the clarification. Always good to know the circumstances.
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