Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

Hangout GupShup Cafe
1

I just heard something in the CBS news this evening, which I thought everyone who is dealing with snow should be aware of, esp those having children. It should be shared among others to let everyone be cautious.

Here are the details, its read-worthy:

Kids Suffer Apparent CO Poisoning As Mom Digs Out Car

Tailpipe May Have Been Clogged; 7-Year-Old Critical

January 27, 2011 9:30 PM

http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/apparent-carbon-monoxide-poisoning.jpg?w=420

Two children were hospitalized, one in critical condition, after apparently being overcome by carbon monoxide gas as their mother dug out the car they were sitting in. (Credit: CBS 2)

Reporting Hazel Sanchez

**NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) **– Two children have been hospitalized, one in critical condition, after apparently being overcome by carbon monoxide gas in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon.
EMS workers responded to a report of several children unconscious in a car in a Morris Heights neighborhood.
The children were reportedly left in the idling car while their mother was digging the car out from the snow. Witnesses said the mother shoveled around the car and cleared the snow after letting her daughters, ages 5 and 7, into the car to keep warm.

When the woman opened the door to check on the children, they were unconscious, apparently due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

One neighbor walked up to the car after the mother made the frightening discovery.
“I saw them. They were laying down, like lifeless bodies almost,” witness Lamin Kamara told CBS 2′s Hazel Sanchez. “I couldn’t describe it, because I have my own kid.”

It appears that the tailpipe of the car was clogged, and that’s how the carbon monoxide was pushed into the cabin of the vehicle.
CBS 2 has learned that the 5-year-old girl is alert and stable at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. The 7-year-old is in critical condition, and being evaluated at Jacobi Medical Center.
Sources tell CBS 2 that the younger child will be transported to Bronx Lebanon Hospital to be with her sister.

2

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

Woooohhh :eek: thanks for sharing this :k:

3

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

very sad :( I hope the 7 year old gets better soon ameen

4

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

*very sad but its common sense not to let the car running while kids are in the car AND the tail pipe is clogged with snow. *

5

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

^ thats what i was thinking...but maybe she had no other alternative, I know taht area and most likely she lived in an apartment building and she felt that it would be safer to have the kids within her view instead of being home alone in their apt.

Either way, its pretty sad.

6

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

It's very sad and no-one is to blame. At least we can all learn a lesson from this.

7

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

Look like she did not know that talk pipe was clogged. But I am confused if the car's engine was running , how could tailpipe stay clogged for more than few minutes. Then the ice in it will start melting and give way to the smoke. Wallah Alim.

8

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

definitely!


**
no, it all depends how much snow was behind the car, how densely it was packed, how old the snow was and also the type of snow. on a cold day, the engine take time to become hot enuf to make the exhaust real hot in order to melt the snow fast enuf.**

9

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

I think she did what most of us would do under these circumstances.. Putting the kids in car to make them warm, and dig out the snow but its just unfortunate that due to so much snow, it took her some time to look back in the car but it was quite late till then.

Some of the local channels are marking her like a villain in this whole incident making her guilty of mishandling the kids. Its just stupid!

10

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

what is a tailpipe and how do you know it is clogged?

11

Re: Mother dig out snow while kids pass-out in car

Thats scary...Ive done that myself a couple of times, especially when the kids were much younger. You cant leave them alone in the house, and if its -22 out, its better they stay in the car when your cleaning the snow.
Thats just how it is, and its easy to judge.At least a lot of people now will know not to do this....I hope the kid gets better soon. Poor woman.