For those of you who use the big machines at the laundramat please read

[mesue]

We have had a tragedy near my home that I felt I should write about to warn others. If you have those huge washers that hold several loads and locks airtight and can't be opened until the cycle is done, (newer ones I think have a emergency button to stop machine) please do not put money in it until you are going to start it. Here is a link to the story
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101574.html

[YankeeMary]

How horrible! You know her brother will never forgive himself for his actions, nor will the Momma. I really hate to hear this. Thanks for sharing, I agree we all do things without thinking about them.

[mesue]

Ok I thought I would update this since I was going on only what my Mom told me, should have read up on it first, from the article I am reading no one is saying how the child got in the machine, the 14 yr old brother was supposed to have been watching her and the Mom was outside. The Mom came back in used the pay phone to call 911 and sent her son outside for a rock to break the glass the mother broke the glass to get the child out. They apparently rushed the child to a larger hospital where she died. Here is a link to the story. I guess the first thing I posted should be a lesson in how people passing a story around can get it all wrong, but the thing about the washers and my concern over them still holds true. The thing is anything and everything can be a danger to a small child. I would post the actual story but not sure about copyrights. Here is the link,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101574.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101574.html

[one_angel]

How terrible.

[Shann]

What the heck was the girl doing inside the washer?!?! Poor thing. I'm a little shocked that someone would leave their little child near an open washer like that. When I lived at home I barely left the dryer door open for more than a minute b/c my cat would jump in it if I turned my back. I feel so sorry for the little girl. :(

[3lilpigs]

glad you made the repost....i was wondering why a 14 yr old only weighed 30 pounds, and what the heck they were thinking when they got in there.

this is just a terrible story.

im sure i'll get slammed for this, but i have to ask.........
do you think the brother put her in there??
how do we know the mother put the coins in and walked away?
and dont you usually have to press a start button or something???

this sounds kinda fishy to me......and i hate thinking like this....but i guess its just the world we live in. :(

did they say if cameras were in the laundramat? i just got home 10mins ago from the one near me, and i noticed about 5 cameras in there.

[3lilpigs]

double post
darn server! :mad:

[mesue]

From reading the article it does not say who put the money in the machine or how she got in there. I did figure out a scenario that would be a set of circumstances that might lead to this happening.
1. peron fills machine up and puts money in and it does not work, cusses gets mad maybe leaves a note, maybe not, just feels like the machine robbed them.
2 Employee or owner comes in notices machine is halfway unplugged, fixes it or maybe that last quarter is stuck, someone bumps against it and it finally falls down but door is open, machine is now set to go as soon as the door is shut and locked which is the way to start this machine once the money is in there.
3. Kids playing, knows they have not put money in it to start it so they think it is safe to play.

Here in this area it is a very small town, if it is like the one I used to go to in a town that is just as small and nearby there is no one working at the laundramat, the owner comes in collects money and sweeps up. There are no cameras either not sure about this one but the article never said anything about a camera so I am betting there is not one there.

[queenangie]

Mesue, I can see that just as you described.

What a horrible death for that child....and for the brother & Mom too.

[Mystic32]

OMG!...this is just awful....i fel for everyone involved in this incident.....

[3lilpigs]

here is a bit of an update on this story.
we should find out more by the end of the week.
i still think the brother did it.


http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?s=3508767

[123taffy]

I really hope you're wrong about the brother. If those washers are so far off
the floor, its surely a possibility. I would hate to know someone had done this purposely. This is truly a sad story. From stories I've read, there were security cameras inside and yes, they should know by the end of the week what happened or hopefully they can tell us something.

[mesue]

Thanks for the update 3lilpigs, its so sad to see that sweet little face. I've heard tons of rumors but what is true and not true is hard to figure. I'm glad there were security cameras maybe we will know what happened.

[mesue]

Sorry I forgot to update this or maybe I did a new thread on it and forgot but just in case I did not update, (I was doing a search on something here and found this thread), the stepbrother was found to be innocent of any wrong doing in this child's death.

[cSoReNSoN]

What the heck was the girl doing inside the washer?!?! Poor thing. I'm a little shocked that someone would leave their little child near an open washer like that. When I lived at home I barely left the dryer door open for more than a minute b/c my cat would jump in it if I turned my back. I feel so sorry for the little girl. :(

I always shut both the dryer and washer doors immediately and doublecheck beforehand. My cousin's cat jumped in the open washer and my cousin unknowingly turned it on. Needlessly to say, it was not a pretty sight. After this event, everyone in my family is quite cautious. I know my cousin was devastated, but noone thinks to check the washer until something like this happens.

[Mom2myboys]

http://www.tricities.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=TRI%2FMGArticle%2FTRI_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784674716&path=/news/localnews&s=

CHILHOWIE, Va. – A 14-year-old boy was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of his 5-year-old half sister last month in a coin-operated washing machine.
"He told his mother that night that he done it," the children's grandmother, Anna Billings, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Some more on the boy and the lawsuit: http://www.wcyb.tv/newsread.asp?newsid=6061

[Unicornmom77]

Okay, forgive me its late but these type of cases always MAKE ME SO FLIPPING MAD....

HOW CAN YOU SUE SOMEONE WHEN AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS??????????????

It just isn't right, I know they should have installed a switch, they should have a shut off BLAH BLAH its always something.... How about the MOM should have been with her kids, I KNOW ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, I have four kids. But Jesus its not a WASHER MANUFACTERS RESPONSABILITY, and they(the family who lost their child) are (Lord forgive me) OBVIOUSLY poor and have had all kinds of problems, so they "NEED" money. I mean WOULD YOU SUE SOMEONE if your child/spouse/lover/friend died in an ACCIDENT??? I would like to say NO i would NOT, I know you cannot say for sure until you have lived it and I do have sympathy for this family, but I do not find ANY logic in suing someone when you lose a loved one. Maybe for medical bills, but nothing more. It makes me so angry because when you sue you only cause so many other people harm and heartache, not to mention the poor laundry mat owners. From what I have read and Mesue said its a small town, not like they are rich. Man, I just do not get it. And I pray I (or anyone else) has to live through this type of situation. Please take this for what it is, MY OPINION!

FLAME AWAY!~~~~

[kyswpgrl]

I'm not going to flame because I totally agree with you. Yes there should have been a safety switch, but chances are there weren't because the laundromat was older. I mean they set forth new guidelines every day, but if the building was built before the new rules, then they don't have to go back and make changes, etc. It may not directly be the mother's fault, but yes...it never would have happened if she was in there watching them. As for her wanting notices posted for kids not to play inside the equipment, that's something SHE should have known and warned them about herself. I do feel horrible for the family, but I don't think it's right for them to sue.

[Unicornmom77]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1440073/posts


I am still researching this, I am curious if she ever got a settlement and what happened.

From this article above it says the charges were dropped against the 14 yr old.

[Unicornmom77]

Here is another site that explains their lawsuit, I cannot find any updates on weather or not the were awarded any money... http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784261939

So basically the 14 yr old caused his sisters death, but couldn't be charged. It is tragic, and the more I read the worse I feel for the family, but I still do not agree with the suits filed.

[Jaxx]

How aweful...that poor little girl :(