I just can't believe it.. not AGAIN!

[buttrfli]

Yes, its summer again.. :(

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A 3-year-old boy died after being left in a day-care van for hours while the temperature was in the 90s, and the driver was charged with manslaughter, police said Tuesday. Marcellus Johnson, was to have been dropped off at his home in Little Rock around 3 p.m. Monday, but van driver Rancocas Foreman skipped the boy's stop, went home and parked and locked the van before leaving for his second job, authorities said.

Marcellus' parents called police after 8 p.m., and around the same time Foreman remembered the boy, went home to check the van and found Marcellus' body, police spokesman Sgt. Terry Hastings said.

While officers were investigating at the Child Care Center of Arkansas, Foreman arrived and told police "he knows where the child is and the child is not OK," Hastings said.

Foreman, 22, of Little Rock, was charged with manslaughter because he could have easily seen the boy in the van, Hastings said. The temperature reached 94 degrees Monday afternoon in Little Rock.

"The child was clearly visible from the driver's seat," with his legs dangling in the aisle, Hastings said.

Marcellus was to have been dropped off first on Foreman's route, but Foreman had trouble making a left turn from a busy street and went on to his next stop and did not return, Hastings said.

Foreman was freed on $10,000 bail. He didn't have a listed phone number, and there was no answer Tuesday morning at a phone number for the day-care center.

Hastings said he had no explanation for why there was about a five-hour gap between the time the boy was to have been dropped off and police being called.

[hblueeyes]

Oh my, how horrible. I feel for both families and the young man but he still needs to take responsiblity. How hard is it to do a visual check and then go in the side door of the van to make sure. It is so senseless.

Me :p

[Bud_Girl76]

OMG how sad..

[3lilpigs]

thats just terrible! the poor kid. i dont understand how people can forget a child is in a vehicle with them!?

im wondering why it took the parents 5 HOURS to call the police about their kid?? something doesnt sound right to me.

[Shann]

This is just awful.. that poor boy, his family... I don't understand how hard it is to see if there are children left on the van or even in one's backseat?!?! I worked at a bus company and drove a suburban and could see if there were any kids left on there... how do you forget a child? Asleep or not, I don't get how you could over look something like that. :( :mad:

[sahm2]

Where did the parents think that their 3 year old went? I'd be calling the school if my 8 year old's bus was 20 minutes late.

[queenangie]

Late from daycare 5 hours? A 3 year old?

I'd think the parents would have been calling frantically all over
and
looking for their child.

So, so, so sad.
What a horrible way to die too in that hot, hot van.

It does not sound like the driver of the van did it on purpose,
but regardless, a child died.
I thought they had check lists as kids were dropped off
on vans or buses?

[buttrfli]

Late from daycare 5 hours? A 3 year old?

I'd think the parents would have been calling frantically all over
and looking for their child.




ITA... I get antsy when DD's bus is just 2 minutes late... I know it is never on time, but with there being only 5 kids on the bus, I get pretty paranoid when its a few min late.

[Kyla Kym]

They can make alarms that go off when you start driving telling you to put your seat belt on. Why can't they make a alarm that hollers out when the car is stopped that the child hasn't been removed from the car seat yet. :confused:

[Willow]

ITA... I get antsy when DD's bus is just 2 minutes late... I know it is never on time, but with there being only 5 kids on the bus, I get pretty paranoid when its a few min late.


Me too and so does our cat. lol She knows just about the time that my son gets home and she goes in the kitchen and waits by the door for him. His bus is normally right on time but there have been a couple of times where he has had a different driver in the afternoon because his regular driver was either sick or something like that. Sometimes the different drivers aren't familar with the bus route so they might take a little longer but after a few minutes I'm wondering what's going on.

[janelle]

This is happening so often that some couple has invented a device that warns you when a child is left in the car.

They also say to put a toy on the front seat so you will remember the child is in the back seat. You know the laws now that say you must have the child in the back seat may be making people forget. I know it's not an excuse but before, parents could practically have the child on their lap and driving or at least in the front seat with them.

Children get sleepy in the car and go to sleep then when the adult gets out they don't cry so they are very quiet. When both parents take the kids places on different days it can happen. Not saying it's a good excuse. Maybe kids should be up front with the caretakers so this wouldn't happen so often. I can't believe anyone does this on purpose.

[buttrfli]

I am not saying that this device is a bad idea and I hope someone uses it and actually saves a child life.. BUT I hate the fact that the world has come to having to remind parents that they have children.

I know we all have this conversation every summer it seems, but I don't care how busy I will ever get, my kids are always at the front of my mind 24/7... even the ones who are grown adults. Yes some parents forget, but I can't ever imgine forgetting one of my kids.. not just in the car but anywhere!

[buttrfli]

Me too and so does our cat. lol She knows just about the time that my son gets home and she goes in the kitchen and waits by the door for him. His bus is normally right on time but there have been a couple of times where he has had a different driver in the afternoon because his regular driver was either sick or something like that. Sometimes the different drivers aren't familar with the bus route so they might take a little longer but after a few minutes I'm wondering what's going on.


cool cat ya got there :D lol

[*lilo*]

Maybe kids should be up front with the caretakers so this wouldn't happen so often. I can't believe anyone does this on purpose.


the back seat is the SAFEST place for a child under the age of 12 to ride, due to airbags and the seatbelts. if someone cant remember to take their child out of the car, then maybe they shouldnt have had children to begin with.

[Wildkats]

This is happening so often that some couple has invented a device that warns you when a child is left in the car.

They also say to put a toy on the front seat so you will remember the child is in the back seat. You know the laws now that say you must have the child in the back seat may be making people forget. I know it's not an excuse but before, parents could practically have the child on their lap and driving or at least in the front seat with them.

Children get sleepy in the car and go to sleep then when the adult gets out they don't cry so they are very quiet. When both parents take the kids places on different days it can happen. Not saying it's a good excuse. Maybe kids should be up front with the caretakers so this wouldn't happen so often. I can't believe anyone does this on purpose.

When I go out with my nephew (one yr) I always put my purse in the back seat with him on the floor. That way when i get out of the car I think to get my purse and it's back there with him. I can see how some people can 'forget' about a sleeping child or something, but even if you have to write a post-it and stick it to the steering wheel, do SOMETHING so that you remember to get that kid out!

[3lilpigs]

I still want to know WHY IT TOOK 5 HOURS TO REALIZE THAT THEIR 3 YR OLD WAS MISSING! :mad: Shouldnt someone have been waiting at the bus stop for him? didnt they get kind of worried or confused when the bus didnt show up at all??

this child may still be alive if the PARENTS were paying attention too!!

is there any update on this story yet??

[KitKat420]

I believe the only way someone can forget about a kid in the car is if they are stoned, otherthan that they must be completely stupid, these people should be shot.

[june72]

OMG..............that is so sad........If my kids bus is 10 minutes late I'm calling around(and there papaw is the driver). I don't understand why the parents waited so long to call :confused: But I don't understand how come he skipped the bus stop........it doesn't matter how rough or hard the place is to get around you are susposed to go by the route they pick not what you pick.

So sad :(

[may1792]

Another one that was just on the news here this morning. :mad:

http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050608/NEWS/206080361/1025/news

How hard is it to count kids when they get in van then again when they get out to make sure? or even just walk through it? :confused:

[Blondiex46]

here we go again, between the parents that party and leave the kids in the cars and the daycares that do, what is the problem, have none of these people figured it out yet.