Posted on 03/20/2002 5:56:14 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:07:33 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free an 11-year-old girl who got stuck in a washing machine for more than 90 minutes during a game of hide-and-seek.
Fire officials said the girl, whom they did not identify, became stuck while playing with her brother and some friends.
(Excerpt) Read more at search.boston.com ...
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
That happened here in Houston, if we're talking about the same case. She was two and her aunt (teenager) was "playfully" putting her in the frontloading washers and closing the doors. One of the machines had money in it and started. The news story showed the crowbar marks on the machine from where the family was finally able to force the machine open. The aunt was beside herself with grief, the little girl was hysterical and badly shaken. It should be a lesson to eveyone, don't play with machines.
I'm not assuming I know your age, but did your parents EVER have to tell you not to play
with washers and dryers? Mine didn't either. People this stupid are very distressing.
But, remember: when washing machines are outlawed, only criminals will have clean clothes.
If they come to take away my washing machine, they'll have to pry it from my lukewarm, soapy, dead fingers....
I was just thinking the same thing...this kid is a Darwin award waiting to happen.
I wonder if it occured to the other kids to check the washing machine to see if anyone was hiding in it.
The child would have died had the mother not realized her grievous mistake...forgetting to add the fabric softener.
Of course she was shaken, that's why they call it an agitator!
It should be a lesson to eveyone, don't play with machines.
I agree that better supervision is called for, but I don't want to turn the world into a Whiffle-ball cushioned existence. Part of growing up is learning from one's mistakes; even small children can do that. If children aren't allowed to explore, to stretch, to possibly fail, and maybe to be hurt, then they won't learn anything of the dangers in the world. Dangers can't be engineered away; they will always be there and adults, formerly children, need to know how to deal with danger.
True story:
My home town in Georgia had five textile mills. There was a fellow with the job title "Fixer" (machine mechanic) who worked the third shirt (12am- 8am). Not a lot going on at night. He had developed the habit of crawling into one of the massive industrial dryers and sleeping in the warmth (out of site of the boss as well). Well sir, one night he overslept and the morning shift came in and cranked that bad boy up. They had to throw that machine away afterwards- couldn't get all the gore out of it. He joined the Darwin Hall of Fame.
I wholeheartedly agree!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.