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Babymakin
LIF Adult
Member since 12/10 920 total posts
Name:
Sarah
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Child dies in the washing machine
The only thing that struck me, while watching the video, was that the mom always did the laundry with the top open. I dont know why someone would do that. Tragic loss. Hopefully this story protects other children.
Link to Story
An Oregon family is devastated after a tragic accident took the life of their toddler. Tiffany Hebb was doing laundry, while her 21-month-old Ollie kept her company. When she left the room briefly, he crawled into the washing machine and drowned.
A frantic Hebb found her son minutes later trapped in the water-filled basin and tried desperately to resuscitate him. After suffering severe brain damage, he died the following day in the hospital.
"It was the worst day of my life," the grieving mother told a local Fox affiliate through tears. Now Tiffany and her husband Chris are on a mission to educate parents about the dangers of the seemingly innocuous household appliance.
"I want to make mothers and fathers aware that it's a possibility," she said.
Read more: Toddler's trauma highlights laundry room dangers
Between 2005 and 2009, two children under the age of five lost their lives in laundry room accidents, according to a report by the Consumer Product Safety Commision. In a 2003 review, two deaths and an estimated 500 other injuries to children were attributed to washing machine-related accidents. Most kids were between the ages of 1 and 2, and fell victim to a range of injuries including fractures, amputations and even drowning.
Some of potential washing machine hazards, according to the report:
. Drowning after getting locked inside the machine
Injuries jumping or falling off the top of the machine
Heated water from the machine causing burns
Getting limbs caught in the motorized spinning basin
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The biggest problem when the CPSC conducted their review back in 2003, is still a problem now: lack of education. The report at the time acknowledged that more public education is needed so parents can prevent these kinds of injuries. Ever the vigilant mother, Hebb spent the first year of her son's life guarding him from every household danger she was warned about. She said she never expected the washer would be the biggest threat.
Despite improved safety functions on automatic washing machines, the best prevention from injury is keeping kids far away from the laundry room altogether. (Even if the washing machine is avoided, the scalding hot dryer can be just as dangerous.) Unfortunately many parents aren't aware of the risks.
More ways to child-proof your home
"Believe it or not, a small child can drown in as little as an inch or two of water," warns Home Safety Council's Mary Kay Appy in a safety video featured on Good Housekeeping. "They're top heavy -- their head goes into the bucket but they don't have the upper body strength to pull themselves out."
Appy encourages parents to invest in washers and dryers with built-in child safety locks. Another safety measure: install locks or child safety knobs to the laundry room door. A little extra child-proofing could save a life.
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Posted 4/4/12 9:56 AM  |
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Katareen
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Member since 4/10 7180 total posts
Name:
Katherine
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Horrible...that poor little baby 
Do washers even work with the top open? I know mine doesn't, and neither did my mom's...
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| Posted 4/4/12 10:00 AM |
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TreAnt427
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Member since 8/06 8652 total posts
Name:
Tracy
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
So sad 
My machine will not start unless the lid is closed. The water will fill up but if the lid isn't closed the water will just drain.
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| Posted 4/4/12 10:02 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
A stupid tragedy that could have been easily avoided.
Posted by Katareen
Horrible...that poor little baby
Do washers even work with the top open? I know mine doesn't, and neither did my mom's...
Mine works until it gets to a certain part of the cycle.
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| Posted 4/4/12 10:02 AM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Posted by nrthshgrl
A stupid tragedy that could have been easily avoided.
Posted by Katareen
Horrible...that poor little baby
Do washers even work with the top open? I know mine doesn't, and neither did my mom's...
Mine works until it gets to a certain part of the cycle.
The switch broke on my washing machine, so I overrode it, so it can work without the top closed. It's in the basement, so there's no way DC could get to it. Now, DC are old enough where it's not an issue. It's possible they also overrode the safety switch, or it's old enough that it didn't have a switch.
I think most washers will fill with water with the top open, they just wont agitate or spin dry. That will prevent kids (or adults) from getting hurt by the spinning drum, but not from drowning.
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| Posted 4/4/12 10:11 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
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..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Posted by GoldenRod
I think most washers will fill with water with the top open, they just wont agitate or spin dry. That will prevent kids (or adults) from getting hurt by the spinning drum, but not from drowning.
Yes. That is how mine is.
It will fill completely, but won't start agitating until the top is closed.
So the drowning hazzard remains regardless
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| Posted 4/4/12 10:20 AM |
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maybesoon
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 5981 total posts
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
I can't even finish reading this article, just devastating. My ds is the same age and I can't imagine . Poor family
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| Posted 4/4/12 10:21 AM |
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Cpt2007
A new love!
Member since 1/08 5946 total posts
Name:
Liz
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
this is awful. 
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| Posted 4/4/12 3:31 PM |
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Michelle1123
Baby #5 on the way!
Member since 9/05 7919 total posts
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
So sad
I know eith my older machine - I used to put some stuff in, start the water filling, but leave it open and go and collect any other laundry that might not have made it to the baskets. Maybe thats what the mom was doing?
My new HE machine will not even start until the lid is closed and locked.
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| Posted 4/4/12 3:35 PM |
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lvdolphins
My Loves!
Member since 5/05 46292 total posts
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
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| Posted 4/4/12 4:23 PM |
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ItsaJoya19
my cup runneth over
Member since 1/10 2949 total posts
Name:
E
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
absolutely devastating!
my new machine will not fill until the top is closed.
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| Posted 4/4/12 4:32 PM |
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lucyloo
nope
Member since 1/06 9758 total posts
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Horrible.
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| Posted 4/4/12 4:35 PM |
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HoneyBadger
YourWorstNightmare.
Member since 10/06 15979 total posts
Name:
BahBahBlackJeep
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
I can't even wrap my brain around this story. I know it's real and EXTREMELY tragic, but it just seems so, i don't know, extreme to me that I feel like it should be a story from the onion.
So sad...
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| Posted 4/4/12 4:55 PM |
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luvmyReese
Hello Kitty
Member since 1/08 7542 total posts
Name:
Catt
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Posted by ItsaJoya19
absolutely devastating!
my new machine will not fill until the top is closed.
mine wont either
BUT WHERE WAS THE MOTHER???? left room "briefly"? what who does that?? Its like leaving a child in the b/r with a tub full of water...
RIP lil one...
edit to add "briefly" who knows how long that was...
Message edited 4/4/2012 5:59:48 PM.
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| Posted 4/4/12 5:58 PM |
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
That's so sad. Poor baby, poor family. I can't imagine.
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| Posted 4/4/12 8:19 PM |
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jgl
Love my little boys!!!
Member since 8/07 7060 total posts
Name:
g
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by GoldenRod
I think most washers will fill with water with the top open, they just wont agitate or spin dry. That will prevent kids (or adults) from getting hurt by the spinning drum, but not from drowning.
Yes. That is how mine is.
It will fill completely, but won't start agitating until the top is closed.
So the drowning hazzard remains regardless
Mine too, but why would you run the washer top open? This is so ridiculous. This should have never happened 
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| Posted 4/4/12 8:53 PM |
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MrsC614
My little angel is here <3
Member since 7/09 2851 total posts
Name:
Gina
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
I have a front loader that locks, but I was just at babies r us tonight and noticed that they have washing machine locks. Poor baby! You know, things that u least expect can hurt your kids. Like for example, I had a kid that was strangled by the cord from the window blinds very sad. His parents didn't even think it could have happened! You have to be so careful.
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| Posted 4/4/12 9:29 PM |
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jgl
Love my little boys!!!
Member since 8/07 7060 total posts
Name:
g
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Re: Child dies in the washing machine
Posted by MrsC614
I have a front loader that locks, but I was just at babies r us tonight and noticed that they have washing machine locks. Poor baby! You know, things that u least expect can hurt your kids. Like for example, I had a kid that was strangled by the cord from the window blinds very sad. His parents didn't even think it could have happened! You have to be so careful.
The blinds hazard is definetly well known IMO. This is why they now sell cordless blinds. So tragic! You have to think of everything. If you think for a second that something could go wrong you have to treat it that way.
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| Posted 4/4/12 9:45 PM |
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