Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Toddler Injured in Lawnmower Accident
Surgeons at Hasbro Children’s Hospital amputated the foot of a 2-year-old girl severely injured in a lawnmower accident Monday afternoon at her babysitter’s home at 11 William J. Higgins Road.
Babysitter Jailed in Infant's Shaking Death to be Returned to Haiti
A babysitter accused of shaking a 10-month-old baby to death will receive credit for six years' time served and be returned to her native Haiti under terms of a plea bargain. Nelly Rose Joseph, 54, originally faced a first-degree murder charge and the possibility of life in prison, but because of evidence issues and her diagnosis as "borderline retarded," prosecutors agreed to downgrade the charge to manslaughter.
6 comments:
Oh my God! I didn't even know that it was really possible to run over someone's foot with a riding mower! I guess if they are little enough it makes sense...
I read through that story, and some of the comments on the website, and it truly seems like an accident, not a case of negligent sitters at least. And it also seems like they knew what they were doing. I wouldn't think to make a tournicate for the child!
I'm glad it was posted here at least because it is definitely a good warning for everyone to think about. My boss often mows the lawn (riding mower) while I am there with the kids, we're usually inside, but sometimes not. I'll keep this story in mind with my charges this summer.
The lawnmower incident has been all over the news here in New England. They are deeming it an accident, but how tragic! Tourniquets should only be used in a last ditch effort, which apparently this was. Hasbro is an excellent hospital with a worldwide reputation, and thank God the little ones are so resilient, he'll probably be up playing soccer with his prosthetic foot in no time. I always keep my charges either inside or in the pool enclosure when the landscapers are out and about.
When I was about 8 I was playing in the yard while my uncle mowed our lawn. All of a sudden I felt a terrible pain in my upper thigh that caused me to go down as if I'd been shot. My uncle thought I had been, given the cry of pain and how quick I went down. Turns out the lawnmower threw a snall rock that just happened to get me in the leg. I required stiches and had a bruise for weeks. My leg was sore for quite some time. Had it hit me in the chest or head I might be dead. In the eye, definitely would have lost that eye. Kids and lawnmowers do not mix!
I just want to star this comment by stating how terrible and heartbreaking the last story is and how deeply sorry I feel for this family but I feel like it could open a debate about how much responsibility the parents should take on for hiring a "Borderline retarded" person to care for their child. I wouldn't be able to live the rest of my life without the guilt eating me away.
Poor family.
I know I'll probably get flamed for being "insensitive" but this proved itself to be the worst case senario of what happens when you don't hire proper care for the most important things in your life.
*scenario
Oops, it's too easy to type on a blackberry.
AML: It is a tragedy, but that was my first thought too! I see ads on craiglist all the time "$85/week for full-time childcare"... What do parents expect?
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