Posted on 01/13/2006 3:32:00 PM PST by QwertyKPH
A Miramar family is mourning the loss of their toddler after a deadly freak accident. The boy -- Thomaris Waite -- would've turned 2 years old next month. Instead, he became trapped by an electric car window when he inadvertently pressed the switch.
The toddler was in the car with his father, Thomas Waite, who had fallen asleep in the front seat while waiting for his wife and other child. They were in the medical building, 4500 Sheridan Street, visiting a pediatrician.
Thomaris was transported to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in critical condition. Unfortunately, he died a short time later.
Investigators say the engine of the 2 Door White Monte Carlo was not running, but the ignition was turned on enabling the radio and windows to be operational. It is believed that somehow the child's head was protruding out the rear passenger window and he accidentally pressed the electric window switch. This resulted in the window going up, where it trapped his head between the window and the roof of the vehicle.
A person leaving the doctor’s office saw the child and thought it was a baby doll hanging out of the window. She was shocked to learn it was indeed a child. As she looked inside the vehicle she noticed Mr. Waite sleeping in the front seat. The witness told police, that’s when she screamed and pounded on the window in order to wake up the victim’s father. The boy was rushed inside the doctor's office for medical assistance until paramedics arrived.
Hollywood Detectives are presently investigating this incident as a Tragic Accidental Death. There is a possibility that criminal charges may result upon the final determination of this investigation. Detectives are awaiting the results from the Medical Examiner's Autopsy.
What year was this car? Since 1996, our family has had 4 GM (Saturn) cars and at least three of them (2000, 2002, and 2005) had both the lockout feature AND the "pull up to raise, push down to lower" feature.
Can't remember if the '96 had either of those features, though I'm pretty sure it had the "pull up" feature.
Nevertheless, what an awful thing to have happen. I feel nothing but sorrow for this poor family.
Regards,
Years ago, a two and a half year old boy got into the family car in the garage and somehow made the car's electric window go up. Pressed the button...he must have had the key. His mom was busy in the house, and he got his head stuck with terrible brain damage. He was put in a nursing home and the parents ended up divorced. No other children. Just terrible.
Stick your hand in it, try it, and get back to us.
Seriously - the bigger issue is the type of switch. the old style had the forward/backward switch. New models (like our '05 Toyota) have the rocker style, like the previous poster mentioned with his Honda.
This car obviously had the forward/backward type, and the poor kid probably stepped on it while trying to stand on the door armrest.
What "smell test" could you possibly mean?
I had a Volkswagen Beetle a while back. The windows would retract if they hit an object on the way up. I thought those were standard now.
How tragic and clearly an accident that will haunt the entire family for the rest of their lives. I can also tell you of a dad who taught his son to go downstairs and start his car before work. It was an attached garage. One Saturday morning the little boy went down and started daddy's car, killed them all. This was told to me by hyperbaric doctors when my sister was getting treatment for CO poisoning.
What "smell test" could you possibly mean?
My windows stop at the least resistence. There's no pressure whatsover after a hand is inserted. Get back to me after this guy is convicted of killing his kid for insurance and product liability against the carmaker.
"Stick your hand in it, try it, and get back to us"
Would you like a video of my window stopping halfway up with minimum resitence? I'll send it to you if you like.I'll even stick my head in it and show you this is bulls***.Criminal charges were filed in this case for good reason.
My brothers and I all had a few near misses. I'm amazed we all still here.
Prays for this family.
"Criminal charges were filed in this case for good reason"
My bad. Criminal charges haven't been filed yet. They're being considered.
"Criminal charges were filed in this case for good reason"
My bad. Criminal charges haven't been filed yet. They're being considered.
What "smell test" could you possibly mean?
The smell test I mean is that an electric window didn't kill this kid. My chevy windows stop at very low resistence (I've tried it). The child could have become wedged in a tight spot after the window stopped and suffocated, or maybe not. Not saying an accident was impossible, but I'd be looking long and hard at motives for daddy to be coveniently napping and dreaming of a lawsuit against GM
Well, MY chevy windows will snap a pencil if you raise the electic window on it.
I have a 1999 Chevy S10 with electric windows. But I am in Brussels at the moment. I will try the pencil test when I get home tonight. Then I will report back.
Oh, come *on*... Just because *your* windows work that way, don't presume that *all* models of cars have power windows like that, because they in fact all do not.
Ah, she's a Libertarian.
It's a joke people!
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