2 yr old dies in ATV crash while Dad was checking text messages

[proud2BlibKansan]

Text message led to ATV crash that killed Eureka, Mo., toddler

The father of a 2-year-old who died in a weekend ATV crash said he looked down to check a text message while the boy somehow pushed the throttle, prompting the dad to fall off the vehicle before the toddler sustained fatal injuries.

Jackson Moore, 2, of Eureka, was riding on a slow-moving all-terrain vehicle that his father, Nicholas Moore, 29, was driving Saturday through a wooded area of Franklin County.

Moore told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in Monday’s edition that he had his son in his lap, and was traveling at a speed that allowed his brother Tony, a paramedic, to walk alongside them. The father said he looked at his cell phone and then tumbled to the ground, apparently when the child hit the throttle before the ATV ran into a tree.

“He was out of sight and I heard the boom,” said Nicholas Moore. “I don’t know how he held on.” The child was not wearing a helmet.

<skip>

Nicholas Moore also said his son had fired a .22-caliber rifle for the first time at a friend’s farm earlier in the day.

Moore said he questioned his decision to allow his son on the ATV, and to be distracted by his phone, but he said he had been being careful.

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/116/story/965155.html

[yardwork]

1. I'm not going to make any comment.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. I was just so appalled that any parent could be this stupid

Who in their right mind would let a TWO YEAR OLD fire a gun???

[Xithras]

9. It was a .22 rifle.

It's not like he handed the kid an Uzi. My guess would be that the kid was sitting in dads lap and got to pull the trigger while dad held the rifle.

[Arkansas Granny]

10. I'm not opposed to teaching youngsters firearm safety, but a 2 year old

has no business handling a rifle or a handgun under any circumstances. They need to be at least old enough to understand how dangerous a firearm can be when not handled properly and that is beyond the capabilities of a 2 year old. All they see is something shiny that makes a lot of noise.

[Sanctified]

16. I agree 100%, I totally support teaching young adults how to use firearms

but I think you should start around 8 and with a BB gun under parent supervision. Letting a 2 year old shoot a rifle is insane, even if the dad was holding the rifle and the kid just pulled the trigger, the kid is just learning the fun of shooting and not the seriousness of it.

[anonymous171]

39. He was probably one of those gun fetishists.

A responsible gun owner would not give let a fucking two year old touch a gun.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

26. Do you have

children? A two year old is not able to understand that milk goes on cereal instead of soda pop. How can a two year old understand anything about a gun? To promote firing a gun at two is unsafe - this father, Captain Safety, is most likely the same kind of guy who leaves a loaded pistol on the coffee table next to his Budweiser.

I am not anti gun at all. We have them. My kids were not allowed near them when they were that little.

Oh, and .22 riffles can kill someone quite easily.

[Xithras]

43. I have kids. And rifles.

And yes, my kids sat in my lap once or twice when I was shooting and they were that small. None ever "fired" a rifle when they were two, they just liked the noise and the concussion (they had ear protection, of course). I don't shoot .22's, so having my kids "fire" a gun at that age never came up. Would I have let them if it had? Probably not, but I don't have a huge problem with the idea as long as the adult is actually holding the firearm. There's nothing wrong with kids being comfortable around firearms, but I agree that it's important that they not be permitted free access to them until they can understand that firearms aren't toys.

FWIW, my daughter was 8 when she fired her first shot (she's now 15), and my older son 7 (he's now 12). My youngest son, now 4, has sat in my lap at the range once but has never touched a loaded firearm (and my firearms are well secured in an inaccessible safe when we're at home). I personally don't let my kids touch loaded firearms until they're old enough (and more importantly, physically strong enough) to hold the rifle on their own, point it downrange without assistance, and operate the safeties without assistance. Even at 7 and 8, the older kids were only given a single shot bolt action .22, probably the safest firearm a kid could learn on.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. The kid was TWO

:eyes:

[EstimatedProphet]

78. Even so, even as a gun owner (I am), that's irresponsible

the typical 2 year old has been walking less than a year. They barely could be able to understand that a gun exists, much less how one works. It's not appropriate to have one around him so that he can fire it, or even put him on an ATV for that matter.

[gratuitous]

2. Idiot

If you're going to ride an ATV, ride an ATV. If you're going to check your text messages, check your text messages. Don't try to do them both at once. Too bad the kid had to pay the price for this idiot's poor judgment.

[greguganus]

74. Where I live, I cringe at all the "dads" on riding mowers with toddlers in their laps. Idiots. n/t

[CRF450]

82. My dad used to do that when I was little nt

[Beaverhausen]

4. I'm so fucking sick of text fucking messaging

what is so goddamned important that it can't wait until the movie is over? Until you can pull your car over and read it safely?

This is really sad but fuck text messaging and everyone who does it! :mad:

[Dennis Donovan]

7. You know how fads go...

[Deja Q]

44. And there's no better way to go too.

"Daddy, what are you doing?"

"Texting, my son. I'm asking the hooker how much it costs to--"

**CRASH**

"Oops. I hope T-Mobile doesn't charge me extra for leaving the connection open. Now what's the number to 911 again? I see that you're dead."

:crazy:

Tragic. All around.

But then, hearing from all corners how drinking and driving is dumb doesn't stop people from drinking unwisely either.

[Bigmack]

65. 10-4 to that Good Buddy!...

Remember that Smokey and the Bandit/convoy/CB bullshit?

We lived thru disco and CB, and we'll live thru texting. Well, most of us will.

[recoveringrepublican]

13. Yeah, fuck the deaf and the mute!! Don't be so quick to judge. nt

[Beaverhausen]

18. There is a time and a place for it

driving, watching a movie in a theatre are examples of when NOT to text.

[Maru Kitteh]

28. There's nothing special about texting

that killed this little baby. It was the parental idiocy. This parent was apparently a tragedy waiting to happen. He could have been grabbing a pinch of chew, adjusting his junk, checking his shoelaces - anything. The child was put in a dangerous position without proper safety gear.


He was taking reckless, irresponsible risks with his child and now the child is dead.

[frylock]

37. is texting in the theater really that much of a distraction for you?

any more than the sound of people munching popcorn? lighten up.

[Beaverhausen]

38. yes it is - as are the fights that break out because of it

I'm sorry - if you are in a movie and can't wait 2 hours for that all-important text, then don't fucking go to the movie.

I went to see Doubt last weekend and it was ruined by the idiots who were fighting over texting.

[frylock]

47. why were they fighting?

because someone was texting?! if the phone is ringing, then yes, that's a problem. if my phone buzzes and i feel compelled to respond to a txt, then that's my own fucking business, thank you very much. i don't see how that concerns you in any way whatsoever.

[Beaverhausen]

51. the bright light of the screen is distracting so no, it's my business too

Someone asked the person nicely to please stop texting and he wouldn't do it, so an argument broke out.

It took requests from two different theatre managers to finally get the asshole who's text was more important that the enjoyment of a theater full of moviegoers to finally turn off his phone.

You can't seriously think that if your phone screen keeps lighting up during a film it isn't distracting and annoying to the other people around you, can you? Movie tickets are very expensive these days and if you aren't there to watch, then don't spoil it for those who do.

[Donnachaidh]

25. you're holding a 2 year old on an ATV, and you check a text message?

He's a FUCKING IDIOT.

And so is anyone else who is STUPID enough to think that they can text message and drive ANYTHING. That INCLUDES anyone deaf and/or mute if THEY are STUPID enough to text while driving. But I suspect THEY have more sense than the idiot in the OP.

[proud2BlibKansan]

31. He was driving a moving vehicle.

HELLO!?

[pl259]

34. Deaf mutes can safely drive and text at the same time?

Who knew?
:eyes:

[recoveringrepublican]

48. That's not what was said, no doubt, pull over, I was going to agree

until "This is really sad but fuck text messaging and everyone who does it!".

Maybe I shouldn't get all up in the air about it, but I (being deaf myself) finally have an easier way to get ahold of others (even my doctor makes appointments with texting). It's annoying to have people rolling their eyes when I'm "talking" to my child's teacher, when if I was talking on a cell phone most wouldn't blink and eye.

[Maru Kitteh]

59. "This is really sad but fuck text messaging and everyone who does it!"

Holy Crap! :wow:

I totally missed that.


You're right, that is messed up.

[proud2BlibKansan]

63. Deaf mutes can safely drive and text at the same time with a 2 year old in their lap!

Who knew? :crazy:

[anigbrowl]

49. I think the problem is doing it on an ATV, not the text messaging

This has a lot more to do with hopeless parenting skills than technology.

[BattyDem]

5. Oh this guy's a real genius!

2-year-old riding an ATV = bad decision
Checking a text message while riding an ATV = bad decision

Checking a text message while riding an ATV and holding a 2 year old = PURE stupidity and a FATAL decision for that poor child! :cry:

What an asshole!!! :grr:

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Letting a 2 year old fire a gun = stupidity

[BattyDem]

40. What is the purpose of letting a two year old fire a gun?

Too young to hold the damn thing, too young to aim, too young to learn about responsible gun use, too young to understand that a gun can kill ... so what's the freakin' point? :shrug: :grr:

[Dennis Donovan]

6. Another mouth-breathing Jethro-breeder...

Sorry, but some people shouldn't breed. :thumbsdown:

[Rhiannon12866]

58. Reminds me of that mother who left her infant in a hot car, and the child died...

But no charges were ever filed against her because she was already "too upset...." :eyes:

[Harry Monroe]

8. I immediately called my son over to read this article as soon as I saw it...

...and don't you know, he came over with cellphone in hand, texting all the while. Just told him to stop what he was doing and read the article. He is about to get his driver's license and I told him already in no uncertain terms that he is NOT to text or even use his phone for voice calling while he is driving. If I ever find out he is doing either, he'll be riding his bicycle EVERYWHERE until he is out of my house!!!

[Maru Kitteh]

29. Too bad they can't make a device to put in teens cars that prevents cell reception in a moving

vehicle, at least for the first year or so. Not a parked vehicle or one that is not moving - only when the car is in motion.

[Democrats_win]

11. Priorities. The business of parents is business not childcare!

Not really. But that's reality. You know it is.

[TwilightGardener]

12. I thought text-messaging was for adolescents. Then again, this father seems

to have had the maturity and judgment of one. Poor little boy.

[Jennicut]

14. As the parent of 3 and 4 year olds no toddler or preschooler should be anywhere near a rifle or ATV

but that is just me. I feel for this man's loss but not paying attention and letting children do adult things leads to accidents. Leading cause of death for children under 5 = accidents of all types.

[rvablue]

41. Add to that, no 3 or 4 year old should be anywhere near an adult who is stupid

enough to operate a motor vehicle while using a cell phone, either for calls or texting.

[Jennicut]

57. Agreed. Text sometime else, NOT when you are watching your children

[rvablue]

66. And don't talk on the cellphone in your car (barring an emergency) when

you have your kids or anyone else's in the car.

I don't have kids, and almost all of my friends who do, randomly pick up the phone with their babies strapped into the back seat while they yap about nothing on their phones.

[notadmblnd]

15. .In my state, it is against the law for anyone under 16 to ride one

This guy should do some jail time.

[Sequoia]

20. I wish it were in CA also.

About 2 years ago some people I know gave their children ATVs for Christmas. These kids were about 7 and 10 years old.

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. We lived across the street from a family who had one for every kid when my kids were growing up

Drove me up the wall. Of course my kids thought they each needed their own ATV since the neighbors had them.

One day the 7 year old across the street drove into the mailbox and broke his collar bone. Next day that kid was right back on that ATV. His dad thought he needed to get right back on to conquer his fear.

[Sequoia]

80. Sick, sick.

Last year a college freshman from a winery family in Sonoma County was drinking with his pals and drove his ATV around and died when it turned over on him. I don't like them and have no desire to own one or even ride in one. It's too easy to dump over.

[Catherine Vincent]

17. That's why I refuse to get the text messaging plan with my celly carrier

Imo, it should be free of charge. :)

[Lucian]

19. Why would anyone let a two year old ride on an ATV?

Especially on his lap?

And to fire a gun...geez! Sheer stupidity!

[mnhtnbb]

21. Darwin proved right yet again. Poor kid. Bad luck to be born to a stupid parent.

[JNelson6563]

22. Sometimes there is so much stupid it actually hurts.

Oy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

50. This story hurts my brain and my heart.

:cry:

[dbackjon]

23. Story doesn't add up

Father states kid was on his lap. He fell off, kid stayed on? How the hell does that happen.

I bet the kid was riding alone.

[yardwork]

24. The whole thing sounds very fishy. Oops. I wasn't going to comment.

[Fumesucker]

27. Kid was probably riding right in front of the dad, sitting on the tank..

That's the only way the kid's arms could have reached the controls.

[LisaL]

54. The article says he was on father's lap.

[Fumesucker]

55. Kid's butt would have been right up against the father's lap...

But actually sitting on the tank.

I've ridden kids on a motorcycle quite a bit and that's how I always did it, you don't really have an exact "lap" when you are sitting on a bike, your legs are not horizontal but rather inclined downward.

[LisaL]

56. The poor kid didn't have a helmet on, the father was driving

the ATV and checking his text messages at the same time, and on that same day this father let the 2 year old kid to shoot a rifle. I wonder what authorities are going to do with that information.

[Fumesucker]

60. The father was certainly stupid, possibly negligent..

I doubt the authorities can do anything to him worse than what he is suffering right now.

My son-in-law ruined his right knee on an ATV and the machine was barely moving when it happened, freak accidents happen from time to time. I don't like ATVs and I think dirt bikes are less dangerous (although still pretty dangerous).

I think the father genuinely loved his child and was trying to give the kid a great experience, one that the father would have liked when he was a child himself.

[CRF450]

69. Dirtbikes are less dangerous, thats a fact!

The big danger of an ATV is rollovers. Utility ATV's weigh up to 700 pounds (sporty models are around half that), while most fullsize dirtbikes are only around 200-250lbs. And because they're on 4 wheels, the rider doesn't have to worry about balancing. Just about every redneck in my area has one, hardly anyone here has a dirtbike. Also, ATV's outsell dirtbikes 4 to 1.

2 years old is obviously too young to riding on a motorized vehicle. 4 or 5 years would be around the starting age for that activity. Most professional motocross riders started riding dirtbikes at the age.

[Fumesucker]

73. Rollover, that's what happened to my son-in-law.

He bent his right knee backward trying to keep the ATV upright when it started over on him. His knee will never be the same.

[CRF450]

75. That doesn't surprise me.

The guys that actually ride the hell out a quad, like motocross and such, have more balls than I do to jump those heavy things, and I respect them! I just have no respect for the hillbillies here who ride around on a utility 4 wheeler, a can of beer in one hand, other hand on the thumb throttle, while doing donuts in a mud pit. And then theirs the one who pops the transmission in 1st gear to do a wheelie, with a kid on the gas tank:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I dont care what they think of me, I'll stick to my dirtbike. I do something that the rednecks here dont, WEAR SAFETY GEAR. Any idiot can jump on a quad, and not have to worry about anything till an accident/rollover happens. It may turn out as a freak accident most of the time, but people just get too comfortable on those things.

[Pithlet]

83. They ride on the road on our subdivision, here.

They're pretty popular. During the spring and summer, you'll hear them all day long and it drives me nuts. No peace. I hate those things. And they never have helmets on. Some of them little kids. And I'm terrified one day of them will hit me while I'm driving and they come tearing around a corner running a stop sign and the kid will get killed. I've had one near miss, and I'm sure I'm not the only one in the neighborhood. Lucky for the kid I don't speed.

[Rebubula]

33. Hmmm....

...I may have to agree with your skepticism.

How does one 'fall off' an ATV that is going 3 mph?

I would guess that we will get more details on this one.

[proud2BlibKansan]

64. I am thinking maybe beer was involved

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. I am wondering how the kid can reach the pedals if he is on Dad's lap

Doesn't add up at all.

[rvablue]

42. B/c the kid didn't need to reach the throttle....which is located on the handle bar.

The idiot father let go to look at this dumb text and the kid was probably still holding on and revved the engine.

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. LOL shows what I know about ATVs.

[Xithras]

45. Many ATV's have thumb throttles.

Not grip/twist throttles like motorcycles. A thumb-throttle is essentially a button that you push to give the ATV gas. You see them a lot on scooters too.

The article claimed that the ATV was going so slow that someone else was walking alongside it, so the guy probably had it in gear and was just idling down the road. If the kid was sitting in front of the dad on the tank (many small passengers ride this way) he would have only needed to reach forward and push on the throttle button to make the ATV take off.

[LisaL]

53. But the article says the kid was on father's lap.

How does the father fall off but the kid stays on? If the kid was on his lap, how did he stay on ATV?

[carlyhippy]

52. I had a 4-wheeler get away from me

I simply bent down to the right to get something out of my shoe while I was sitting on it, my head hit the throttle, and it jumped forward and I almost fell off...I can see this occuring, it's a shame the baby didn't have a helmet on, this is a terrible tragedy for all invovled. I guess 2 lessons can be learned...don't let the baby on the ATV and don't text while watching the baby. Horrible tragedy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

61. I would feel a lot sorrier for this dad

if he hadn't let a 2 year old fire a gun. That's nutz. :crazy:

[carlyhippy]

79. I agree, that was insane

Carly

[Sultana]

62. Good heavens

Some people should never become parents.

[Iggo]

67. Two years old.

Two.

[CRF450]

68. Kinda surprised he's able to hear an incoming message.

When I'm riding my dirtbike, I let almost nothing distract me. I do take a cell phone with me in case I need help, but never mess with it while riding. Besides, when riding a dirtbike you cant do anything BUT ride it, while on a 4 wheeler you can be more lazy. Just another reason I hate quads honestly.

The guy's a fuckin idiot in the first place for having a toddler ride with him.

[CreekDog]

70. My goodness, did this guy get ANYTHING right?

He is just a total fuckup.

No helmet

2 year old riding on the ATV with him

A 2 year old riding an ATV at all

Using a cell phone

Not having the child restrained


Such a waste.

[MazeRat7]

71. Sad, too bad so many are focused on everything other than the loss of life...

I don't care who you are, in a volvo or on an atv, bad things happen when we least expect them. I'm sad someone lost a son, I'm sad it happened in such a manner under what seems to be rather controlled circumstances. But, at the end of the day, what is important is there was a life lost under very unusual circumstances.

Where is the compassion and sadness for lost life ? Oh wait, I get it, an ATV, text messages, and guns...right... They must be hillbilly's and repugs which of course are unworthy of compassion.

Sorry my bad, I thought all life had value.

Peace,
MZr7

[proud2BlibKansan]

81. Well, the saddest part is that this death was avoidable

And I think people are just so outraged by Dad's behavior that they can't help but express their compassion by lashing out at Dad.

[MrSlayer]

72. This guy was completely negligent.

He should go to prison for several years.

[Sewsojm]

76. I'd guess

I'd guess the father was letting the boy ride the atv alone and made up this bs about himself falling off the bike.

[Vinca]

77. Dad needs to go to jail. nt