Mirror Falls Off Wall, Kills Child At Mall Clothing Store (posted 6/1/2003)

"Local 6" (A Florida Station) ^ | 6/1/03 | Local TV

[7 x 77]

LINCOLNWOOD, Ill. -- Police in the Chicago suburb of Lincolnwood said a 5-year-old boy was killed in a freak accident when a large mirror fell off the wall of a shopping mall clothing store.

Officers said the accident occurred Saturday afternoon in the Express women's clothing store at the Lincolnwood Town Mall.

The victim was identified as Jonathan Villagomez. Police said he was at the store with his mother and other family members when the 5-by-12-foot mirror suddenly fell off the wall and hit him.

The mirror was attached to a "false wall" in the dressing room, area police told WMAQ-TV, .

Store and mall managers would not comment on the incident other than to say their "prayers are with the family."

[7 x 77]

Five miles from there, in Niles, I was watching a 5-year-old girl who was also attacked by a mirror by the dressing room of clothing store. In this case both the child and I needed stiches and it was in a place called something like "Suits for Men".

[annyokie]

I think we can file this in the unfortuate shit happens file.

[Maigrey]

Where I was previously employed, we had a large mirror, about the same size as the one involved, that was just propped up against the wall (where it wouldn't fall unless you really pulled it on you.)

Needless to say, having it around scared the (bleep) out me and what could have happened.

Prayers also for the family. Sheesh!

[George from New England]

"False wall"

Are these security measures that are carelessly implemented?

Was this mirror actually a one-way see-through glass ?

Could some store security employee have accidental touched something installed poorly and caused all this ?

[giotto]

There's no excuse for this kind of shoddy construction. In the first place, the mirror should have been acrylic or plexiglass, rather than glass. Having a glass mirror that size and not having it properly mounted is criminal negligence.

[_Jim]

Could some store security employee have accidental touched something installed poorly and caused all this ?

My bet is that there was 'horeseplay' by the child involved - perhaps he kicked or pushed the mirror first ...

[_Jim]

the mirror should have been acrylic or plexiglass,

How often do mirros 'leap' off dressing room walls onto children anyway?

I think we need to know more - and I'm sure not in favor of having to use a 'crappy' mirror while trying on a new dress ... I mean slacks ...

[7 x 77]

My bet is that there was 'horeseplay' by the child involved - perhaps he kicked or pushed the mirror first ...

This was the case with us. The mirror was on the floor leaning against the wall, and we were a little animated trying to amuse ourselves while the person we were with made his purchase.

However, it was a public place, and we weren't wild.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

It doesn't matter whether there was horseplay or not. The child was in the store as an invitee. The store had a duty of care to make sure the kid wasn't hurt. The store failed. As the lawyers like to say: Res ipsa loquitur. The thing speaks for itself.

To the child, peace; to the family, prayers and wishes for healing. To the store: get a very good lawyer. You'll need it.

[cardinal4]

Its amazing what a six figure settlement will do for grief therapy.....

[Copernicus]

I think we can file this in the unfortuate shit happens file.

Actually public school happens. I had to browbeat some semi-literate installation crew into properly installing a 5x8 mirror in store when they A. Didn't have the adhesive in the truck. B. Were too blase' about the consequences of mechanical fasteners not installed according to specifications.

Stay alert. The pigeons of ignorance are coming home to roost.

Be sure to thank a teacher.

Best regards,

[_Jim]

I don't think this was 'simple mirror' located in a 'dressing room':

The heavy mirror was about 5 feet wide by 12 feet high, and officials were looking into how the mirror fell from the wall, White said.

From: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-kid01.html

THis could have been, straight away, plain and simple, one of those *rare* accidents that kills somebody ...

[night reader]

Its amazing what a six figure settlement will do for grief therapy.....
====================================
Bet it'll go seven!

[_Jim]

The WMAQ TV report appears misleading - it appears that a wall initially fell to which the mirror was attached:

Police quickly sealed off the entrance to the women's clothing store. Investigators report the boy was near the dressing room area...when somehow a decorative wall fell.

Fire officials say a five-foot by eight-foot mirror was hanging on that wall. Emergency crews report when they arrived on the scene Villagomez was in bad shape -- severely hurt.

"We have an evidence tech on the scene, we have someone from the building department. we're attempting to look into what happened and why it happened and the reason for how this horrible tragedy could happen," said Deputy Chief Pete Swanson of the Lincolnwood Police Department.

From: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/053103_ns_boy_mall_fatal.html

[7 x 77]

Its amazing what a six figure settlement will do for grief therapy.....

Not much, if the parents loved the parents loved that child.

[Maigrey]

If I can guess (and I've been in Express a couple of times with my sister...) The mirror in question would be a 5 x 12 that is at the entrance to the dressing rooms, and the "false wall" in question would be like a door (no support structure) that opens up to the security room. More than likely, the mirror wasn't attached with any kind of support, 'cept maybe "superglue" (industial adhesives) or a couple of screws to the sheetrock or wood.

Since thinking on it, this doesn't pass the smell test, either from the patron's perspective or the store's.

[Maigrey]

The store had a duty of care to make sure the kid wasn't hurt.

If I may beg to differ, (and I worked retail for 10 years) most of the time, the employees are informed by higher management to allow the customers time to shop without being hassled. If that includes keeping an eye on their kids, oh well. The employees are not in the store to be a baby sitter for customer's kids. (And that is something I've done also while working, since my previous place of employ was a full service store.)

The employees of the store have the responsibility to prevent accidents as much as possible. But there is also the possibility that this was a case of horrible accident (where there is no fault with the people at hand.)

Before jumping into a pool, maybe you should see if there is water in it.

[annyokie]

My mother was a controller at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Poer Plant some years ago, and the horror stories she told me about the contractors for Brown were enough to raise your hair.

Wheelbarrows left in the towers, beer cans everywhere, etc.

[ladyinred]

OMG! Who would ever think? How tragic.