14 year old dies after falling out of minivan

[atprm]

Girl, 14, Dies After Falling Out Of Moving Minivan

POSTED: 3:22 pm EST February 4, 2008
UPDATED: 6:20 pm EST February 4, 2008
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Police said a 14-year-old girl died after falling out of a moving minivan on U.S. Highway 131 near Grand Rapids and being run over by two vehicles.

Merida Mateo-Pablo was riding in the back seat Sunday night when she tried to open and reclose a sliding door, but the momentum of the sliding door pulled her out of the van and onto the busy roadway.

After Pablo fell out of the car, she was run over several times, police said.

Witnesses and Pablo's mother ran into the middle of the roadway and tried to prevent other cars from striking her, said police.

A portion of the northbound U.S. 131 lane was closed Sunday during the investigation.

Police said the accident could have been avoided if Pablo was wearing her seatbelt.


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my take... was it so bad to pull over to the side of the road to reshut the door?? And WHY was this kid not in a seatbelt???

STUPID PEOPLE!!!

[freeby4me]

On that road, they had to have been doing 75 at least. Why would anyone think that opening and closing a door would be OK to do and why was she not wearing a seatbelt.
Such a tragedy so easily avoided.

[PrincessArky]

OMG how sad.....sorry but my cars do NOT move unless everyone inside has a seatbelt on and on properly

[dangerousfem]

how did the door open anyway? The minivan we use to have, the sliding door wouldn't open unless the shifter was in park or neutral.. and it was a 92.. surely the newer models are the same?